


Two Worlds, One Crime

by totally4ryo



Series: Two Worlds [2]
Category: Torchwood
Genre: Alternate Universe - Steampunk, M/M, Two worlds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-07
Updated: 2012-04-07
Packaged: 2018-01-05 20:08:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 41,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1098102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/totally4ryo/pseuds/totally4ryo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is an AU where Reset and Exit Wounds ended differently, with Tosh and Owen are alive. It takes place about 7 years after S2, CoE (and anything after that attempted and failed miserably to be Torchwood) did not happen. The alternate world is based on Steampunk culture, but not exactly, so if there are some differences that are common in Steampunk but shows up here, or is missing, that is the way it is in their world. This is a sequel to <a href="http://totally4ryo.livejournal.com/164560.html#cutid1">Two Worlds, One Love</a>.</p>
    </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is an AU where Reset and Exit Wounds ended differently, with Tosh and Owen are alive. It takes place about 7 years after S2, CoE (and anything after that attempted and failed miserably to be Torchwood) did not happen. The alternate world is based on Steampunk culture, but not exactly, so if there are some differences that are common in Steampunk but shows up here, or is missing, that is the way it is in their world. This is a sequel to [Two Worlds, One Love](http://totally4ryo.livejournal.com/164560.html#cutid1).

**Title:** Two Worlds, One Crime  
 **Author:** [](http://totally4ryo.livejournal.com/profile)[**totally4ryo**](http://totally4ryo.livejournal.com/)  
 **Artist:** [](http://chinacofficaru.livejournal.com/profile)[**chinacofficaru**](http://chinacofficaru.livejournal.com/)  
 **Beta:** [](http://milady-dragon.livejournal.com/profile)[**milady_dragon**](http://milady-dragon.livejournal.com/)  
 **Series:** Two Worlds  
 **Rating:** PG-13  
 **Pairings/Characters:** Jack/Ianto (times two), Gwen/Rhys, Tosh/Owen, OCs (children), mentions of Rhiannon Evans and family  
 **Warnings:** Some language (this is Torchwood), Mpreg, slight Gwen-bashing  
 **Spoilers:** Most of S1  & S2 to be safe.  
 **Disclaimer** I wish I owned Torchwood!!! If I did, everyone would be alive, Jack and Ianto would be happy and maybe, just maybe, I could have made Gwen a likable character (and less Mary Sue). This is a labor of love and no profits being made. No copyright infringement is intended for both the fiction and artwork.  
 **Word Count:** Approx 41,000

 **Author's note:** This is an AU where Reset and Exit Wounds ended differently, with Tosh and Owen are alive. It takes place about 7 years after S2, CoE (and anything after that attempted and failed miserably to be Torchwood) did not happen. The alternate world is based on Steampunk culture, but not exactly, so if there are some differences that are common in Steampunk but shows up here, or is missing, that is the way it is in their world. This is a sequel to [Two Worlds, One Love](http://totally4ryo.livejournal.com/164560.html#cutid1).

 

I want to thank [](http://milady-dragon.livejournal.com/profile)[**milady_dragon**](http://milady-dragon.livejournal.com/) , [](http://bookwrm89.livejournal.com/profile)[**bookwrm89**](http://bookwrm89.livejournal.com/) , [](http://cyberdigi.livejournal.com/profile)[**cyberdigi**](http://cyberdigi.livejournal.com/) and [](http://cjharknessgirl.livejournal.com/profile)[**cjharknessgirl**](http://cjharknessgirl.livejournal.com/) for being cheerleaders while I was working on this. I might not have finished this without them. Also major thanks to [](http://chinacofficaru.livejournal.com/profile)[**chinacofficaru**](http://chinacofficaru.livejournal.com/) for the AMAZING art. Thanks so much to everyone!

This was written for the [](http://longliveianto.livejournal.com/profile)[**longliveianto**](http://longliveianto.livejournal.com/) Big Bang.

Go here to see the amazing and gorgeous artwork by [](http://chinacofficaru.livejournal.com/profile)[**chinacofficaru**](http://chinacofficaru.livejournal.com/) [HERE](http://chinacofficaru.livejournal.com/844.html#cutid1)

 

 

 

 

Ianto entered the Hub yawning. He did not attempt to hide it because he knew it would be useless, a yawn that big could not be hidden by a mere human hand. He glanced around as he entered to find the rest of the team there already, minus Jack, and hard at work.

For Tosh, that meant running several programs and jotting down notes, completely absorbed in her tasks. Owen was working up a sweat playing the holographic video game that had come through the Rift several years ago. It far surpassed any video game they had in the Hub and quickly became a favourite with the team. Even Ianto and Jack found themselves sometimes getting caught up in the game. They had discovered a few interesting ways to play one night when the kids were staying with Rhiannon, and they sent the team home early. They managed to play that version a few more times since, but not as often as they would have liked, because spending time with their children was far more important. Looking around the Hub, Ianto saw Gwen leaning against her workstation on her mobile in an argument with Rhys, who was stuck in London longer than originally planned.

Owen looked up from his game when the alarm sounded as the cogwheel door rolled back for the yawning Ianto Harkness-Jones. The medic opened his mouth to say something sarcastic to Ianto, but he ended up saying something else, although it was still sarcastic.

“You look like shit,” Owen snapped, but some of his concern slipped through.

Ianto glanced over to Owen. “Appropriate,” he commented, “and yet you should see Jack.”

“Speaking of,” Owen stated, looking behind Ianto, realising that the Welshman had arrived alone, “where is Captain Fantastic?”

Ianto shrugged and yawned again, holding his fist in front of his mouth, which did nothing to hide his yawn. “Not feeling so fantastic,” he replied. He yawned again. “Coffee anyone?”

“About bloody time,” Owen commented. “We’ve been waiting two and a half hours. You’re late and Jack’s not here.”

“Oh, give it a rest, Owen,” Tosh said, putting down her biro and looking over her monitors. “I made a coffee run for us not more than an hour before.”

“But it’s not Ianto’s coffee,” Gwen said, and then went back to her call.

“Besides, it’s not like that never happened before,” Tosh muttered about Jack and Ianto. She looked over at the Welshman. “Is everything all right, Ianto?”

“Any of the kids sick?” Gwen asked as she ended her call in frustration.

“The kids are good,” Ianto replied as he started to make his way across the Hub to the kitchen. “Rhiannon came by the house this morning to pick up Meghan and Franklin. She took Meghan to school for us.”

“What about you then?” Owen asked, shutting down the game. He started to walk away from it when he noticed Ianto pause. “Are you sick?”

Tosh rolled her eyes and looked over at her husband. “If Ianto is sick, then why is he here and Jack isn’t?”

“Hush, Tosh. Can’t you see I’m trying to avoid the big question?” Owen retorted. He turned his attention to Ianto, who started to walk toward the kitchen again. “Ianto,” he called out.

“Not sick,” Ianto replied.

“Bloody hell,” Owen muttered.

Tosh giggled as she started to look excited.

Owen sighed heavily. “Okay Ianto, as much as I hate to ask but being as you look like you had a rough night and Jack’s not here yet, please tell me that it’s because of some things that I don’t really need details of that got out of hand?”

Toshiko laughed and looked at Gwen. “As if that had never happened before either.” She laughed again.

It was Ianto’s turn to sigh. “I wish. At least that’s fun.”

“Crap,” Owen swore. He took a deep breath. “Okay. Ianto, is Jack sick?

Gwen looked confused. “But Jack doesn’t get sick,” she protested. “Just when he’s....” Realisation hit her. “Oh bloody hell,” she swore, her eyes wide and staring at Ianto’s back. “Again?”

Ianto stopped again and turned to face his team members. “Yep. Again. We just figured it out this morning after all night with Jack feeling ill and spending half the night in the loo. Now, can I make our coffee?” He sighed as the other three stared at him acting as if he did not have coffee yet that morning. “The smell of coffee makes Jack even more ill,” he admitted. “You know how he gets in the beginning. So enjoy having coffee out in the Hub this morning, because once Jack comes in, we’ll be lucky when he feels he could put up with it so we can have our caffeine fix.”

Gwen groaned loudly. “You need to stop doing this to him, Ianto.”

Ianto grunted as he turned and finally disappeared through the arch leading to the kitchen.

With a grin, Tosh winked at Owen and Gwen. She stood up and followed Ianto into the kitchen.

Owen followed his wife and they stood just inside the kitchen. As they watched Ianto go through his routine of making their coffee, Owen asked, “So, will Jack be in today, or should I make a house call? After I have enough coffee, of course.”

“House call definitely. If we go by the other two times, he’ll be down for a few days. I don’t know how he can go through it again, knowing what it’s like,” Ianto said.

“At least for him it lasts no more than a week, and then it becomes more discomfort later in the pregnancy than actually being sick,” Tosh reasoned.

“And in a couple of months, you’ll be fighting with him because he’ll suddenly want coffee more than his usual, meaning you don’t have to hide from him to have coffee the entire time,” Owen added.

“And he’ll go through the majority of the pregnancy without pregnancy sickness, the lucky bastard,” Tosh remarked. “They say it goes away.” She turned behind her to find Gwen standing near the archway. “You said it goes away. Well, I was stuck with it pretty much through my entire pregnancy when I had Aubrey.”

Ianto chuckled. “That could be because it was Owen’s spawn you were carrying.”

“Bugger off, Ianto,” Owen snapped, while Tosh and Gwen laughed.

“But it does go away,” Gwen said. “At least it did for me, both times. And Jack, he may act like he’s dying for a week, but then that’s it. He is a lucky bastard. You’d think whoever did that engineering in Jack’s time would have made it harder for men. After all, it’s not natural.”

“Here we go again,” Toshiko sighed. She glanced at Ianto, who rolled his eyes.

“Well it’s not,” Gwen stated. “Not that it’s stopping these two.” She looked over at Ianto with concern. “Are you sure you two can handle three children. I mean, Franklin is just barely two.”

“And he’ll be almost three by the time this one is born,” Ianto remarked, sounding annoyed. He turned to face them, his stare going past Toshiko and Owen and settling on Gwen. “To be honest, this one isn’t exactly an accident. Jack started to undergo treatments to get pregnant again several months back, but after with Franklin, we were not expecting him to get pregnant for several more months.”

“You wanted another child?” Gwen asked, sounding shocked.

“Yes Gwen. We did. And I’m pretty certain we’re going to name this baby Samantha.”

“And you helped them?” Gwen asked of Owen.

“Yes, I did,” Owen snapped. “After all, it’s Jack’s body, his choice.

“Jack and I will be working on some changes to accommodate for us having a bigger family,” Ianto commented.

Gwen frowned at him. “You mean Jack, don’t you? After all, he’s the boss.”

Ianto stared impassively at her while it was Owen’s turn to roll his eyes. “I assume you’re thinking Jack and you will be making those decisions, Gwen?”

Tosh turned to stare at Gwen.

“No. It’s not what you think. Of course not. It’s just that people sometimes forget their places around here.”

“You’re telling me,” Owen remarked at the same time Ianto muttered, “We know that.”

Sensing another ugly situation rising, Toshiko decided to defuse it by steering the conversation from the dangerous. She smiled. “So you both wanted Samantha to have a chance in this universe then?”

“Yes. Once Jack was pregnant with Meghan, we knew immediately that we would be having three. And now Jack’s pregnant with our third. She’ll be here a little earlier than the Samantha in that other universe, but age isn’t everything.” He turned back to the coffee machine and started to pour their coffee. “After all, in that universe, Jack was only 52 and the other Ianto was over 1200 years old.”

Toshiko laughed.

“That Ianto must be a dirty old man. Why, that Jack is practically jailbait to him,” Owen quipped, making the others laugh. “At least our Jack was only around 170 when he started to shag a 23 year-old.”

“Owen, you do realise that I’m making your coffee,” Ianto stated.

“Sorry,” Owen quickly replied, making Tosh laugh again.

Owen was the first one to have his coffee served. “I guess that means you want me to start drinking and then collect my kit to go visit Jack,” he stated to Ianto.

“Exactly what I mean,” Ianto reasoned. “We probably have a few more days until the major pain hits him, but I’d feel better the sooner he’s looked over.”

“I’ll be on my way as soon as I finish this,” Owen said.

“And I promise I’ll send you off with a flask of coffee, as long as you do not open it around Jack.”

“After he threw up on me the last time? Not bloody likely,” Owen said.

Ianto smirked as he started to hand out the coffee to Toshiko and Gwen.

OoOoOoO

While Owen was on his way back to the Hub after examining Jack, the Captain had phoned Ianto to tell him that he was definitely pregnant again. Jack also told Ianto that he was still not feeling good enough to come in, and Owen had suggested he stay at home for at least the rest of the day, until he was feeling well enough to be up and around for longer than a half hour. He went on to tell Ianto that while he still felt out of sorts, he wasn’t feeling bad enough to short the team by one more member than they already were, so Ianto should stay there. Before Ianto had a chance to protest, Jack assured him that if how he felt changed for the worse, he would give Ianto a call. They were still on the phone, talking about the baby, who they already started to refer to as Samantha, when Ianto heard the alarms as the cog door rolled back and Owen entered the Hub.

While Owen went down to their medical section, Ianto got comfortable in Jack’s chair in the Captain’s office as he continued to talk to Jack. Their talking went on to the nursery. The furniture they had so far had survived Meghan and Franklin. They would keep the furniture for Samantha, but they were discussing more than merely redecorating the nursery for a baby girl. While they knew the possibility of having three children, they had still decided to keep the flat they had bought before they found themselves in the alternate world where they had been the guests of another Torchwood. They had already made a home for themselves, but after spending time with their steampunk-like counterparts and their family, it gave both Jack and Ianto the incentive to take the extra steps with their relationship and break down the final walls. Jack had already proposed before they were returned to their universe. Three months later, they had a Civil Partnership ceremony and reception. The night was not the romance they had envisioned it would be when Jack suddenly fell ill during the reception, and yet it held its own magic because they realised that Jack was pregnant. Immediately Jack decided that if it was a girl, they were going to name her Meghan, after the other Jack and Ianto’s older child. When Jack became pregnant a second time, there was no doubt it was a boy and they named him Franklin, not only to name their first son after Jack’s father, but to follow the pattern of the family in that other world. So they were pretty certain they were going to have a third child eventually, but they loved the flat they had.

It was on the end of Windsor Esplanade in a new building right on the bay, a penthouse on the sixth storey. It had three bedrooms and two terraces that they spent many evenings they were off sitting on. They had a swing seat among the furnishing on the terrace off the living room that Meghan and Franklin loved. The apartment was modern and spacious, even with two children. Coming back from their time in the steampunk universe, they both got more of a kick out of the big round porthole windows they had in the kitchen, their en suite and the room that soon after was designated as the nursery. When they got it, it did seem a big large for the two of them, but they had room for guests, even if they hardly used them. They fell in love with the flat the moment they viewed it and that was enough a reason for them.

When Jack was pregnant with Franklin, they had figured they had several years at the least, and would deal with the possibility of a bigger place whenever Jack was pregnant for the third time.

Now that the third child was on her way, they knew they were running out of rooms. They would have to move Franklin out of the nursery and felt both him and Meghan should have their own rooms. So the hunt for a house was officially on. They knew it was coming, but was not sure exactly when. Both Jack and Ianto felt an excitement and trepidation in looking for a house. The house would have to be perfect, because they intended to raise their growing family in it. Ianto jotted down notes as they discussed what they wanted for what was to be a home for their family. It also had to take their breath away even more than when they found the flat.

They were going to talk first more on what they wanted, and then start looking at what was available for sale. Their call was cut short when there was a Rift alert and Ianto had to go with Owen and Gwen out on the field.

OoOoOoO

It was after midnight when Ianto arrived home. The lights in the entry and living room were dimmed. The rest of the house was quiet. Ianto removed his long black leather coat and hung it next to Jack’s greatcoat on the coat rack in the reception hall. He toed off his shoes and made his way toward the nursery to check on Franklin. The toddler was curled up in his bed, hugging his stuffed red dragon. Smiling tenderly, Ianto leaned over to kiss the little boy’s forehead, brushing the dark fringe off his head. He studied his son’s profile in the nightlight and shook his head fondly.

His next stop was in Meghan’s room and he kissed his daughter’s head. Quietly he left her room and slipped into the master bedroom he shared with Jack. His husband was in the four-poster bed.

Jack lifted his head and smiled as Ianto started to unbutton his waistcoat. “Should I ask how it went?” Jack asked.

“How about after I shower and settle in bed with you?” Ianto studied Jack, who turned onto his back and stretched. “How are you feeling?”

“I kept down some toast and tea, which was my dinner. I have been drinking water.”

“What about the nausea?”

“It settled down enough to let me get a couple of hours sleep after I got the kids to bed. I woke up just before you got in, but was afraid to move. I’m feeling okay now.”

“Then you should try to go back to sleep. You’ll need that as much as staying hydrated,” Ianto said. He smiled at Jack. “I’ll be out shortly.” He smiled at Jack and then with a wink, went into the en suite.

He knew Jack still wasn’t feeling good when he took his shower alone. If Jack was feeling better, he would have found his way into the shower, even if Ianto had told him to stay, especially being he had not seen Ianto since that morning. Ianto decided to take his shower quickly and get to Jack’s side.

As he stepped out of the shower, Jack came into the bathroom, or more like stumbled to drop onto his knees before the toilet. Concerned, Ianto dropped to his own knees next to Jack and started to rub his back gently, heedless of his towel which fell from his waist onto the floor.

He stayed with Jack until he was able to help his husband back into the bed, and after throwing on his sleeping pants and dressing gown, quickly left the room long enough to fetch a bottle of water from the fridge. On his way back to their bedroom, Meghan’s door opened and the five year old stood in the doorway staring up at Ianto.

“Hello Princess,” he said, looking down at the child. “Why are you up? Do you need something?”

Meghan nodded. “For Daddy to feel better,” she said. Frowning, she looked up at Ianto with tears in her bright blue eyes. “Why is Daddy sick? He won’t leave us, will he? Janine’s daddy got sick and he had to go away.” Tears started to fall from the child’s eyes. “I don’t want Daddy to leave us.”

Ianto fell on his knees and hugged her. “Oh sweetheart, it’s okay. Daddy is sick but he’ll be better soon.” He wiped her face and kissed her button nose. “C’mon Meghan. Let’s sit with Daddy for a while, okay? And then you’ll see he’s going to be okay.”

They had not told their children about Jack’s immortality, feeling they were too young to understand. Thankfully, Rhiannon being the team’s babysitter meant most of the time while they were working all children were with Ianto’s sister, and did not spend much time in the Hub, so they were unaware of the times Jack had been killed on the job. They were not around the time Ianto was near death, but Jack did not give up on him. The immortal remembered what Black-coat Ianto from the other universe had said about bringing his mortal Jack back from death, along with knowing he had once brought Ianto back from the dead when his cyber-girlfriend had killed him, by sharing the Vortex within him with a kiss.

Meghan nodded and Ianto got to his feet and handed her the water bottle. “Hold onto this for me, and you can give it to Daddy. Okay?”

Meghan nodded again, her dark wavy hair bouncing with the action. With a smile, Ianto lifted her up and carried her to the master bedroom.

“Jack?” he asked softly, in case the other man had fallen asleep. “Look who wants to see her daddy.”

Jack lifted his head from the pillow and smiled when he saw Meghan in Ianto’s arms, clutching onto a bottle of water. “Hey munchkin. Isn’t it past your bedtime?”

Ianto placed her on the bed. Immediately, she scrambled across Ianto’s side until she was snuggling up against Jack, who placed an arm around her.

“I heard you being sick, Daddy. I was scared. I got you water too.” She held out the water to Jack. “Here, Daddy.”

Jack smiled softly as Ianto came over to his side of the bed and helped him to sit up. He kissed his daughter’s head. “I’m going to be fine, munchkin.” He glanced at Ianto in question, who settled himself on the edge of Jack’s side of the bed.

Ianto ran his fingers through Jack’s sweaty hair and smiled. “You were too young to remember when we found out that Franklin was going to join us.”

“It was a secret,” Meghan said. “That Daddy was having Frankie. It still is.”

Jack nodded. “Yes, it still is.”

Meghan hugged Jack. “My Daddy is the most specialest in the whole wide world because he can have babies.”

Jack chuckled and hugged her. He traded an amused look with Ianto, after catching the other man rolling his eyes. Ianto winked at him. Both men knew their daughter was smart.

As expected, she let out a surprised gasp and lifted her head, wide blue eyes staring at Jack in wonder. “Am I getting another brother?” she asked.

“Tad and I are pretty certain that this time you’re going to have a little sister.”

“A sister?” Meghan pulled back to clap. “I want a little sister. YAY!” She hugged Jack again. “So that’s why you’re sick, Daddy?”

“Yup. That’s why I’m sick. That’s how we know a new baby is on the way.”

Meghan scrambled to her knees and gave Jack a big sloppy kiss. “I’m so happy, Daddy! Are we going to tell Frankie?”

“In the morning, sweetheart,” Ianto said with a smile. “We just found out today. Daddy’s going to be sick like this for a few days and then he’ll feel better. And then in about six months, you’ll have a baby sister.”

“We already know what your sister’s name will be,” Jack said with a smile.

“What Daddy?”

“Samantha.”

“Oh pretty. I like that,” Meghan exclaimed, bouncing on the bed in excitement.

Ianto could tell that the bouncing motion was not helping Jack, who started to look paler than Jack already was. He quickly leaned over and scooped her up into his arms. “Easy darling, we don’t want to make Daddy sick again, do we?”

“Oh! Oops. Sorry Daddy.”

Jack chuckled and opened the bottle of water to take a sip. “It’s all right, munchkin. You’re happy and that makes me happy.” H e smiled at her and had another drink of water.

Meghan yawned, which made Ianto laugh. “Now that you know that Daddy’s going to be okay, do you think you can go to sleep now and stop worrying?”

“I’m not worried anymore,” Meghan exclaimed.

Jack laughed. “It might be hard for her to go to sleep if she’s excited.”

“I am excited, Daddy, but I’m getting sleepy,” Meghan said.

Ianto looked at Jack and then moved around to his side, still holding onto Meghan. He pulled back the bedding on his side and settled her on the bed. “You can stay until you fall asleep. Okay?”

Meghan nodded as she made herself comfortable against Jack. Ianto slipped under the covers. Each man slipped an arm around their daughter and they talked about the baby until she fell asleep. Carefully, Ianto managed to carry her to her room and settle her into bed without waking her. He studied her face. She had Ianto’s eye shape but Jack’s colour. Her jawline was Jack’s, minus the cleft on her chin, and her button nose was all Ianto’s. She was a perfect mix of Ianto’s and Jack’s features.

He made a quick check on Franklin, to find the toddler still sleeping and hugging onto his stuffed dragon. Franklin also had Ianto’s button nose, eyes and jawline, but he had Jack’s cleft on his chin. He took more after Ianto in looks, but if anyone looked closely, they could see Jack in his features.

The official story to anyone not in the know was that they had used surrogates – Meghan was carried by a woman who strongly resembled Jack and fathered by Ianto. Ianto had also fathered Franklin but carried by a woman who had some of Jack’s features. That was what they said when asked, mostly by teachers and other parents in Meghan’s school, some neighbours and the parents of the children’s playmates. The team obviously knew the truth, and so did Ianto’s sister, Rhiannon Evans. Her husband, Johnny, got the surrogate story, because even Rhiannon was not sure that her husband would be able to handle the truth. Rhiannon knew much about Torchwood, what they were and what Ianto did, but Johnny still believed Ianto and Jack both were civil servants.

With a smile he left Franklin’s room and went back to his, where he got back into bed and pulled Jack into his arms. “Well, that was easy,” he said. “Again.”

Jack chuckled. “She’s a pro at it. Hopefully Franklin will accept a new baby as well.”

“I don’t see why he shouldn’t,” Ianto said. He moved his head so he could kiss Jack’s lips. “I love you, you know that.”

“Are we okay with this? I mean, I know we were trying, but we both thought it would take longer, like with Franklin.”

“And yet even he came sooner than we expected. I think those treatments that Owen and Martha had devised just work better than they thought.”

“No kidding,” Jack agreed with a laugh. He stopped laughing and gave Ianto a serious look. Ianto could tell that the immortal man was also a little nervous. Anyone else would not have noticed, but Ianto knew Jack better than anyone else.

Ianto ran his fingers through Jack’s hair again. “We discussed it, we started you on treatments to be able to get pregnant, and we decided we wanted to plan for Samantha. Now she’s on her way. Of course, I’m okay with this.” He glanced at Jack sternly. “Now you do know what this means once you are well enough to get back to work.”

“Yes, I do. I’m off field duty until after I have Samantha. Of course.”

“Good. I know you were mostly good about it the other two times, but you still had your moments. I know it’s hard to just sit around while the rest of us are in dangerous situations, but risking the baby is not an option.” He raised his eyebrows, staring at Jack, until the man finally nodded in agreement.

“So what kept you out at all hours of the night?” Jack asked, looking up at Ianto. “Anything I should be concerned about?”

“Depends on what you mean? If you’re thinking something is going on between me and Tosh or Gwen, or even Owen, no. Not at all.”

Jack snorted. “It doesn’t have to be on the team,” he said slyly.

“You only tease because you know bloody well that it’s only you.”

Jack’s grin grew. “That’s what I love to hear.”

Ianto rolled his eyes. “And yes, Jack, I’m going to still love you and think you’re sexy when you’re all big and have swollen ankles.” He broke out in laughter when Jack pouted at him.

“You told me that I don’t get fat,” Jack said indignantly, still pouting.

“I didn’t say fat this time either,” Ianto pointed out, “but it’s silly to believe that you won’t get bigger as our child grows inside you.” Ianto placed his hand on Jack’s abdomen. “Honestly? I can’t wait. I can’t wait for when I touch you here I can feel her kicking.”

Jack smiled brightly. “Yeah?”

“Oh definitely.” Ianto returned the smile as Jack rested his hand over Ianto’s.

“There are some things with pregnancy that I’m not looking forward to, but on the whole....” He smiled more and squeezed Ianto’s hand. “It’s worth it. All I’ll be dealing with for the next few days, and the last months of feeling fat and the waddling about.”

Ianto tried to hide a snort, but did not succeed. “At the risk of you getting mad, I’m glad you’re the one able to have our children because I’m not sure I’d be able to handle going through it.” He grinned at Jack. “You’re a better man than I am, Jack Harkness-Jones.”

“Well, putting it that way, how can I be mad?” Jack’s grin turned devilish. “However, I’m sure if you were able to be in my place, you’d do just fine.”

“Oh, I’m glad you have so much confidence in me, because I don’t. It doesn’t matter anyway, because it’s not very likely to happen.”

Jack lifted Ianto’s hand and entwined their fingers. “Oh, I don’t know. If we get what we’re hoping, then some centuries down the line, you would be able to get an operation.”

“If we get what we’re hoping. I won’t start planning our future in the 39th century until we know for sure.”

“We’re going to have a very long time together, Ianto. I know it. Maybe even forever. I mean, you heal faster now. That’s a good sign that things are going the way we hope.” As Ianto started to open his mouth, Jack spoke up first, “And even if not, having you able to heal fast means you’re more likely to recover from something that could be fatal. That would extend your life.”

Ianto sighed. He did not want to get their hopes up, and have Jack even more hurt when he died than his husband already would. On the other hand, Ianto wasn’t about to allow Jack to get upset then. So he simply smiled and leaned over Jack. “Jack?”

“Yeah?”

“Shut up and kiss me.”

Jack’s grin grew and his eyes sparkled, knowing exactly what Ianto meant. “With pleasure.”

The two lost themselves in a deep kiss with Jack sharing more of his lifeforce with Ianto.

Sometime later, the two snuggled in their bed, the lights dim. Jack kissed Ianto’s nose. “So you didn’t sway me from asking about what kept you working so late.”

Ianto shrugged. “We intercepted a call about some fish dealing drugs down at the docks. So we went to investigate, and sure enough, some Blowfish are up to something. From what we are able to make out, it’s not drugs. I believe they are dealing with selling alien artefacts. So we were looking into it more. Gwen left early because we still have Rhys in London waiting for UNIT to get their heads out of their arses and finally releasing the cargo to take back here. She had to get her kids from Rhiannon. Tosh and Owen had Aubrey in the Hub until we decided to call it a night. Owen and I are on call for the night, and to be honest, I hope to bloody hell that those blasted Blowfish stay at wherever they call home until tomorrow.”

“I hope so too. I’m enjoying having you here with me. Don’t laugh, but I feel better now.”

“Well then, Blowfish permitting, I might go in later tomorrow. Let Gwen carry my slack for the time, since I did it for her tonight.”

“I think you should take tomorrow off to take care of me.”

Ianto chuckled. “We’ll see, Jack. First let me get through tonight with not being called out. Now how about you attempting to get some sleep.”

“Yeah. I imagine you need to get some sleep too. Can’t have you tired dealing with those Blowfish. Be careful, Ianto.”

“I intend to.” He leaned over to kiss Jack again, and then the couple settled down to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

 

Continued from [Part One](http://totally4ryo.livejournal.com/183344.html)

 

 

Several days later, Toshiko sat at her workstation, working on some of her other projects, while one screen had several CCTV cameras from the area the Blowfish were seen, hoping to catch activity to indicate another deal. She had arrived not long before, so she also had another monitor like the first one, but fast forwarding through the footage of the CCTV cameras from the overnight.

When she came into the Hub, Ianto was already there. While he made coffee, Owen had arrived. As he served coffee, he explained that Jack was feeling much better and woke up only once during the night. He expected that within another day or two Jack would be back to work.

Owen and Ianto ended up down in the receiving dock in the underground parking helping Rhys with the offload. The evening before UNIT stopped finding reasons for delays after Ianto had spent time on the phone that evening with the Commander of the UNIT base. Rhys had left earlier in the morning with the truck containing the remains of a spaceship that had crashed in the English Channel the month before. Torchwood had arrived on the scene first and claimed the vessel as theirs, but had to rely on UNIT for recovery. Then it had taken two weeks to cut through the red tape for the initial release order. They had sent Rhys up to the facility holding what was scavenged back to Torchwood. When Rhys arrived, he had received excuses on why he could not take it that day, and was told it would be ready in a few days. A few days went by and Rhys was still waiting. Finally Ianto had enough. He wanted the parts in their Archives for safe storage, as well as being tired of hearing Gwen moan about missing Rhys and starting to feel like a single mother. Ianto also wanted Rhys to be home to his children. Rhiannon had told him how the kids were moping around after the second day Rhys was gone, and decided enough was enough. Torchwood had also been going without their general support and admin. For the last five years, Ianto only made the team coffee, but the rest of the general support he had done previously was now done by Rhys. Ianto still acted as Jack’s PA, however over the years the role subtly evolved into Jack’s unofficial second. Ianto spent more time dealing with officials that Jack did not want to deal with, as well as a full time field agent and maintaining the Archives. He also knew more about protocol than even Jack and was in charge of that. As time went on, his experience on the field also grew until he was able to make command decisions in a snap without becoming unruffled. Tosh and Owen had started to defer to Ianto’s lead, feeling he was better in making decisions while knowing their opinions and suggestions would be heard by both Jack and Ianto and taken into consideration. Gwen was the only one who seemed to have problems with Ianto taking lead, feeling that she was in charge after Jack, and sometimes still attempted to treat Ianto like he was just the tea boy. Jack did not expect anyone to be treated that way, and that included Rhys. Now that Jack was pregnant again, Toshiko and Owen were hoping that Jack would finally make it official and announce that Ianto was his second. Gwen would still argue with Ianto (hell, she always had argued with Jack when she didn’t agree with him!), but at least she could not attempt to take over leading the team.

 

While the men were down in the Archives, Gwen arrived with her youngest child who decided he did not want to be left at Rhiannon’s and was clinging to his mother. It was why Gwen was late. She had been over to Ianto’s sister’s house, hoping to convince the little boy that he would have fun, as usual, at his Aunt Rhiannon’s house with his cousins. Little Evan was not letting go of his mother, so Gwen decided it would be best to go to work with Evan. It was not unheard of having children at the Hub, so no one would bat an eye at it.

While Gwen was setting up Evan in an area designated as play area for children, Tosh noticed something on the footage from in the middle of the night. **“Ianto!”** Tosh called on the comm, “I need you up here now.” </b>

“Did you find something finally?” Ianto asked.

**“Yes, but.... just come up here. Quick.”**

A few minutes later, Ianto came rushing into the Hub with Owen and Rhys on his heels. “Tosh?” Ianto asked. “What did you find?”

Tosh shook her head. “It’s... impossible.” Her eyes went to Rhys, and then over to Gwen who was coming over to join them.

“What’s going on, Tosh?” Gwen asked.

“A meet up, I think,” Toshiko replied. “From what I can see, nothing was exchanged.”

“Perhaps they have a supplier for the goods,” Ianto mused. “Which if they do then we need to find whoever else is involved. Let’s see what you have, Tosh.”

Toshiko already had the footage back to the beginning showing three Blowfish waiting in a carpark to a warehouse.

Ianto frowned. “We are certain they are not operating out of any of warehouses in that area?” he asked.

“Definitely not,” Gwen replied. “We both went through the registries several times with no connection.”

“Personally I think the bastards just enjoy the drama of it all, secret meetings by warehouses and all,” Owen stated. “You ask me, they have TV in their lair, wherever it is, and those kids have been watching too much of it.”

Ianto snorted. “They do seem to be the younger ones, don’t they?”

“It’s always the younger ones that get involved in stuff like this. The older ones tend to work alone,” Owen pointed out.

“I’ll have to agree with you,” Ianto said as another figure walked across the car park to join the Blowfish. “So there’s our new player. Human?”

“I hope so,” Tosh commented as the newcomer revealed itself to be a woman.

“Son of a bitch!” Owen snapped.

“What the hell?” Ianto asked.

“Bloody hell, Gwen!” Rhys gasped.

 

The three men turned to look at Gwen and then to the monitor again. Talking to the Blowfish was Gwen Cooper, dressed in leather pants and corset with a cloak. On her head, she wore a black leather biker hat and goggles.

“No,” Gwen insisted. “That can’t be.”

“That’s you, Gwen!” Rhys exclaimed. “What the bloody hell are you doing talking to those fish people?”

Ianto crossed his arms and after sharing a look with Tosh, turned to Gwen. “Is that you?”

“Right, Ianto. As if she’s going to own up to consorting with the enemy,” Owen snapped. “Ianto, you better take inventory down in the Archives and make sure we have everything.”

“That’s not me!” Gwen insisted.

“It looks like you,” Tosh said calmly.

 

“Alright, it does,” Gwen replied, “but that’s not me. What’s the timestamp on the footage?” she asked Toshiko.

“4:20 AM,” Toshiko replied.

“There you go then. I was at home, asleep.” She looked at the others, who were still staring at her. She turned to Rhys. “Do you think I would leave the kids alone at home while I go consort with Blowfish? Really?” She turned back to Ianto. “Do you really think I’m capable of doing something like that?”

Ianto sighed. “She has a point,” he said to the team, “but there’s no denying what we’re looking at either.”

“Shapeshifter?” Toshiko suggested.

“Could be, but why use Gwen?” Ianto asked.

“Are you sure you didn’t leave the kids?” Rhys asked.

“How could you even ask that of me?” Gwen snapped, her anger rising. “Look, I don’t know who the hell that is, but it isn’t me, even if she looks like it. I was at home! Evan was in bed with me. He’s been in a mood the last couple of days while Rhys was gone for so long. He started to get clingy when I took him home from Rhi’s last night. Do you think I would leave my baby alone in my bed when he is so obviously upset about one of his parents?”

“Gwen, calm down,” Ianto insisted. “We have more questions now than answers. What else is new?” He looked at Rhys. “Why don’t you go and spend some time with your son. Gwen, you too. I’m giving you both the day off.”

Gwen put her hands on her hips and stared defiantly at Ianto. “You will not send me off just so the rest of you can conspire about me behind my back. I’m staying here, because I want answers too.”

“Gwen, right now I’m thinking about your son, if he’s been acting the way he is,” Ianto said.

“You have no right to send me home anyway,” she snapped.

“Oh come off it, Gwen,” Owen said. “You think you’re the bloody boss around here when Jack’s not here, but you’re not. There is no official second here, but the best one suited for the situation steps up when needed.”

“Most of the time, it’s been Ianto,” Toshiko pointed out. “If anyone is second in command around here, it’s Ianto. In case you haven’t noticed, he’s been making sure things run smoothly while Jack is out.”

“Rhys, go see your son please,” Ianto said, looking agitated. “And try to take your bloody stubborn wife with you. Gwen, listen, no one is condemning you. If we thought it was you, Owen and I would have been escorting you down to the cells already.”

Owen nodded his head. “That’s right. Now let us figure this out, while you spend some time with your family. After all the belly aching and moaning about needing to leave early to spend time with your family, the one time we want you to, you dig in your heels.”

“Gwen, love,” Rhys said, taking Gwen by her arm. “Let’s go sit with Evan a bit, yeah?”

Gwen sighed and then after glaring at Owen and Ianto, she looked up at Rhys. “Yes. Of course. Let’s do that.”

As Rhys escorted her to the play area, Owen frowned, his beady eyes on the couple. He turned back to Toshiko and Ianto. “So if the kid’s is so clingy and upset, just how is it that he’s been playing in that room alone?”

Tosh stared at Owen. “I don’t believe you. He’s okay, because he knows Gwen is close. Eventually he’ll let out a wail to get Gwen running to him.” She smirked. “Kind of like what Aubrey does to you.” She winked at him.

“Hush now, Tosh,” Owen warned her, but the grin on his face made Tosh bat her eyes at him, causing them both to laugh.

“I don’t believe it’s Gwen,” Ianto said, “but that doesn’t mean I’m not ruling out the possibility.”

“If it was her, I’m sure there’s a good reason,” Toshiko said.

“Agreed.” Ianto sighed. “Tosh, is it possible to follow her on CCTV? Let’s see where she came from. Meanwhile, I’m thinking that looked like a meet-up to set something up.”

“More tech,” Owen said.

“Exactly. We need to find out where and when and put a stop to this,” Ianto agreed.

OoOoOoO

“It’s like she just vanished,” Tosh exclaimed later in frustration to Ianto who stood behind him.

“I don’t suppose there’s a camera on the other side of those trees she disappeared in?” Owen asked.

“No,” Tosh confirmed.

“Tosh, I know we didn’t look because we went to the scene and didn’t find anything to warrant using CCTV but in light of this new development,” Ianto started.

“I’m already running a facial recognition program on the area that first night,” she stated.

“Good. Let me know what you get,” Ianto said. “I’m going to call Jack. I know he needs his rest, but he does need to know what’s going on. I don’t want to chance his feeling we’re withholding from him. I’ll be in his office, so call if you need me.”

Ianto went into Jack’s office, where he normally spent a portion of his day, whether Jack was there or not. The difference when Jack wasn’t there was Ianto sat behind his desk.

He watched as Rhys came back into the main area of the Hub, carrying Evan and leading Gwen. Gwen excused herself and went in the direction of the toilets. Rhys started to get Evan ready for the trip home.

Taking advantage of the situation, Ianto sent Rhys a text to contact him if the other man noticed any odd behaviour from Gwen. He watched Rhys read the message, delete it and then glance up toward the office, giving Ianto thumbs up.

Ianto pushed the button on his mobile for Jack’s number and continued to watch as Gwen returned and the family left the Hub. Ianto figured they would head over to Rhiannon’s on the way home to pick Tamwen up.

His attention went to his phone call when he heard Jack answer. After checking how Jack was feeling and finding out Jack was in the kitchen making something light to eat, Ianto filled him in on the day’s discovery.

**“No way was that Gwen,”** Jack exclaimed. **“She wouldn’t do something like that.”**

“Not in her right mind. I agree, but I’m not going to clear her until we get more facts. However, I’m not going to throw her in a cell. I hope we’re right and it never comes to that.”

**“Can you send the footage to my laptop?”** Jack asked.

“Will do once Tosh finishes running through the CCTV from the first night,” Ianto replied.

**“She’s checking if Gwen was there that first night, isn’t she?”** Jack asked, sounding as if he already knew the answer.

“Yes. I want to give her a benefit of doubt, but she did leave early that night. She wasn’t with us around the time the meeting had happened.”

**“Damn. It’s not looking good for her, isn’t it?”**

“Well, she was wearing a style of clothes that, well, I never saw her in before. I’ll admit, if Rhys didn’t yet, he might be wanting to see her in it in private.” He had to chuckle.

**“Oh really?”**

“But there is something about the clothes that is bothering me, but I can’t put a finger on it. Maybe when you see it, you might figure out what it is.”

**“We’ll see,”** Jack replied, his voice muffled.

“You’re talking with your mouth full, aren’t you?”

**“If I stopped, you’d be having me examined for alien takeover,”** Jack quipped.

Ianto snorted. “True, no matter how unfortunate.”

**“You married me anyway, even knowing this,”** Jack pointed out.

“I did have hope,” Ianto joked back.

Ianto paused as he heard Toshiko call out for him. “Jack, hold on. It looks like Tosh found something.” He saw Owen make his way across the Hub to stop behind Toshiko, resting his hands on her shoulders. “And it’s not looking good,” he added as he got up and walked out of the office. He left the call on as he hurried down the steps toward Toshiko’s workstation. “What do you have?” he asked.

Toshiko pointed toward a monitor with a frozen image on it. There were the three Blowfish, and with them was Gwen. She was in dark linen trousers and a corset, the cut of it slightly different than the other one, but was still black leather. Ianto frowned as he studied the photo.

**“Ianto, what is it?”** Jack asked over the phone.

“It looks like Gwen, but there’s something about her on the images,” Ianto remarked. He put the call to Jack on speaker.

**“It’s Gwen again?”** Jack’s voice came through the phone.

“Afraid so, Jack,” Owen replied. He looked at Ianto. “Do we need any more proof?” he asked.

“Tosh, can you trail her steps. Both forward and backward,” Ianto requested.

“I already saw her arrival. Same as last night. She came out of the trees, but no sign of her entering them.” Toshiko started to do a slow frame by frame forward on the footage.

“And we’re likely to have the same ending,” Ianto quipped. “I have an idea. Jack, are you up to hearing it?”

**“I’m not there, Ianto. It’s your show,”** Jack replied over the phone.

“Gwen’s under heavy observation. I already have Rhys keeping an eye on her, but I think Rhys needs to take her out tonight, while we get into their home and install cameras. Tosh, I also want you to track Gwen through her phone. If it appears she’s without it, let me know immediately.” He sighed heavily. “It might be a long night, I’m afraid. If we’re still working on this tonight, Tosh and Owen, when you break for dinner, go get Aubrey. Jack, I’ll try to get home for dinner so I could see the kids before they go to bed.”

“I have an idea,” Toshiko spoke up. When she had Ianto’s attention, she said, “I can have the programs run remotely. As on our laptops.” She looked up at Ianto expectantly.

“If you could. But if we need to be on the move fast?” Ianto asked.

“I can go, and Tosh can stay home and coordinate,” Owen suggested. “Maybe take Aubrey to the Hub and work from there.”

**“Sounds like a fair plan,”** Jack agreed. **“Besides, it lets Ianto be home if or until he’s needed.”**

“That’s sorted then,” Ianto stated. “Tosh, you work on the program. I’m going to text Rhys and see if he can get Gwen out of the house today, giving us enough time to work.”

“And if it is her?” Owen asked. “I mean, if we have proof it’s her, other than her face on CCTV.”

**“Then you bring her in and Owen, you’re going to examine her,”** Jack spoke up. **“Check for alien influence, or an imposter.”**

Ianto was nodding as Jack spoke. “I’m giving Gwen the benefit of doubt, despite the overwhelming evidence against her. I just can’t believe Gwen would turn against everything she believes in. We’ve been subjected enough to her moral high road over the years to believe that she willing is consorting with Blowfish.”

“Maybe she wanted a little alien flavour,” Owen said with a grin.

Ianto rolled his eyes. “With Blowfish? She had better opportunities, if that was her desire. I’m going to spend the rest of the day going through the Archives. Just to make sure nothing is missing.”

“And as Ianto said, it ends the same way,” Owen stated, staring at the monitor to watch the image of Gwen disappear into the trees.

“Well, I think we know why they pick that particular warehouse,” Ianto stated. “It’s the only one with that cluster of trees close to the car park.”

“I wonder where she goes from there,” Toshiko mused.

“We’re going to have to figure that out,” Ianto said. “So now that we have a plan, I’m going to finish my call with Jack while I get us some more coffee on, and then I’ll be found in the Archives.”

**“Good work, everyone,”** Jack said before Ianto turned the call off from speaker as he started toward the kitchen area to make coffee.

OoOoOoO

Rhys ended up suggesting taking Tanwen, who they picked up from Rhiannon’s after they left the Hub, and Evan out for lunch and then to the park, allowing Ianto and Owen time to get into the house and set up cameras. They were out and back at the Hub before the Williamses returned home. Ianto continued with his inventory, enlisting Toshiko, who had completed the program and already had it sent to their secure laptops. Jack called in saying it was working, and he was taking first watch while they continued the inventory.

Satisfied that nothing was missing, they completed the inventory before dinner. They called it a night in the Hub, but met up at Rhiannon’s house to pick up their children and go home until they were called out.

Ianto returned home to find Jack was feeling well enough to have a simple dinner ready for them. From experience, that worried Ianto. It worried Ianto more when Jack did not have any of the dinner he made, just wanting to spend time with his family as they had dinner together. All remained quiet as the night went on. Jack and Ianto got Meghan and Franklin ready for bed, tucked them in and read bedtime stories. Jack went to relax on the couch, keeping an eye on the laptop while Ianto went to shower and get ready for bed, hoping he didn’t have to put his clothes on again.

He was still worried about Jack, expecting the worse that night. He was not wrong shortly after they settled in when Jack started to have painful cramping that kept getting worse. Ianto knew what it was. He made a quick call to Owen, telling him that Jack was hitting the worse part of his pregnancy sickness, but unless things went worse than the previous two times, there was no need for Owen to come over. He assured Owen he would call if needed, and agreed for the doctor to come over in the morning to check Jack over.

It was a hard six hours, and thankfully everything remained quiet between the Blowfish and the Rift. It was painful to watch Jack in so much pain and unable to do anything about it. On the other hand, he knew that by the morning, after the cramping was over, and Jack got several hours undisturbed sleep, he would be good as new. It would be highly possible that Jack would be able to go back to work once he was cleared by Owen.

 

OoOoOoO

 

The next afternoon, Jack went back to work. The days went by with the usual assortment of Rift alerts and Weevil hunting.

All eyes were on Gwen during those days. She knew it. No one said anything, but she did recognize the alien spyware that was in the kitchen and figured it wasn’t the only one in the house. She was not able to find more, but she knew more had to be there. She knew Rhys was also watching her carefully. It was frustrating and insulting, but she also knew if it had been the image of one of the others, and she was calling the shots, she would have done the same thing.

Gwen being Gwen, even realizing everything, she decided she could not take much more of being under close scrutiny. So later in the week when Jack and Ianto left early on a slow afternoon to see an estate agent, letting the rest of the team off for the rest of the day, Rift permitting, Gwen decided to make her first move in proving her innocence. Rhys was already at home. She was tired of calling to check in whenever she did not come straight home, but sent Rhys a text that she was going to get her hair trimmed and then shut down her phone. She drove to City Centre where she left her phone, knowing that she was being tracked by it.

Then she set off to hopefully find out more about the Blowfish and the strange woman who was wearing her face.

OoOoOoO

Jack and Ianto entered their flat, with Meghan and Franklin in tow. After taking off his coat and shoes, and Ianto got the children out of their outer wear, Jack ushered the two toward the bathroom to get them ready for bed. It was Ianto’s turn to start dinner while Jack bathed the children and got them into their pyjamas.

Ianto turned on the laptop before heading into the kitchen. He was just getting the pasta, smiling to himself as he heard Franklin and Meghan laugh along with Jack when his mobile rang. Checking the caller ID, he answered it. “Rhys, what can I do for you tonight?”

**“Gwen hasn’t come home tonight,”** Rhys reported.

“What?” Ianto asked. “At all?”

**“No.”** Rhys sounded worried, frustrated and angry.

“Damn. Hold on.” He went over to the laptop and pulled up the tracking program set to Gwen’s mobile. “She’s in City Centre.” Ianto typed a few commands and started to frown. “That’s odd. She’s been stationary for the last four hours. Dammit. Rhys, why don’t you bring your heathens here? You can leave them with Jack while we go recover Gwen’s phone and see if we can find her.”

**“Good deal. I’m on my way. Be there in ten.”**

“See you, Rhys.” Ianto hung up the call and then checked to make sure nothing on the cooker would burn, sighing when he realized he had no idea when he would be able to eat. He should have convinced Jack for them to order too when they had stopped off so the kids could have dinner instead of eating just before their bedtime. Deciding to grab some chips or something if they passed somewhere on their search, he went toward the bathroom, where he found Jack finishing dressing Franklin, while Meghan was in her snuggly jammies.

Jack looked up when Ianto entered. “What’s up?”

“You’re going to have to handle bedtime yourself, and you’re going to have Evan and Tamwen here too.”

Franklin and Meghan started to jump up and down. “A sleepover!” Meghan exclaimed, clapping her hands.

“Yay!” Franklin exclaimed, throwing his hands up and bouncing up and down.

Jack sighed. “All right you two, you can go into the lounge until Tamwen and Evan get here, but then story time and bed. Got that?”

“Yes Daddy,” Meghan said with a slight pout.

Franklin stuck his lip out, but nodded his head.

Ianto shook his head, studying Jack. “You’re going to let them stay up a while, aren’t you?”

Jack shrugged. “Off you lot go now,” he said. Ianto moved to the side as the children left the bathroom, chattering excitedly about their friends coming over for the night. Jack offered Ianto a weak smile. “What makes you think that?”

“Because they both have you wrapped around their finger, Jack,” Ianto replied amused.

“And they both have your pout,” Jack pointed out, standing up and grabbing a towel to wipe down the bathroom.

“When they don’t have yours,” Ianto replied.

“What’s going on?” Jack asked.

“Gwen. If you go by her mobile phone, she hasn’t moved from the same spot in City Centre for almost four hours. Rhys just called and said she hasn’t been home all night yet.” Ianto frowned.

“It’s not looking good for her, huh?”

“We’ll see.”

“I’ll run operations from here. If needed, I’ll get Tosh back to the Hub and send Owen out to assist you and Rhys,” Jack stated.

Ianto studied Jack’s face. “If we really need another body out there, I’ll give you a call. You can drop the kids off at the Hub with Tosh and join in the search.” He gave Jack a nervous smile.

Jack pulled Ianto into his arms. “You be careful out there. You hear me, Ianto Jones-Harkness?”

“I do my best,” Ianto replied. “I have a lovely family waiting for me.”

“That you do,” Jack replied. He moved his head to kiss Ianto. The kiss grew deeper and Ianto’s skin started to tingle.

When they pulled apart, gasping for air, Ianto grinned at Jack. “A little extra good luck there?”

Jack winked and grinned at Ianto. “I’m afraid I intend to keep you around for a very long time.”

“I should be scared,” Ianto deadpanned. “Well, let me say goodnight to the heathens and be ready to leave when Rhys gets here. I have pasta heating. Try to save some for me, yeah?”

“I’ll try.” Jack took Ianto’s hand and together they left the bathroom and headed down the hall toward the lounge.

OoOoOoO

 

Ianto and Rhys stood in the lot next to St. John the Baptist, where they found Gwen’s mobile in the foliage. With a sigh, Ianto called Jack to inform him. They had no idea where Gwen could be. While Ianto and Rhys looked around the city, including by the warehouses where she had been spotted before, with no luck. The two finally returned to Ianto’s, where they found all the children at sleep and Jack propped up on the couch, watching CCTV, with jazz playing softly.

Ianto entered the living room with Rhys and came over to kiss Jack softly. “Anything?” Ianto asked.

Jack shook his head, and moved the laptop aside to stand up and stretch. “Nothing. At least not in that last area. It’s been quiet.” He frowned as he gazed out one of the wide, almost floor to ceiling windows to the bay beyond. “This is not looking good for Gwen.”

Ianto shook his head, looking over to Rhys, who had a frown deeper than Jack’s. “I can’t believe this,” Rhys muttered, “but I have to agree.”

Jack turned to face Rhys. “I’m sorry, Rhys.”

“It’s not you who needs to be apologizing,” Rhys replied.

Jack came over to stand next to Ianto. Placing a hand on Ianto’s back, Jack said, “I saved dinner for you. There’s some for Rhys too if he didn’t eat yet.”

“We grabbed some chips while we were out, but it only took the edge off. I’m starving,” Ianto replied. “Do you want more, Jack?”

“No. I’m good. Rhys, why don’t you stay tonight? It will have to be the couch, but since the children are all settled for the night, why wake them up.”

Ianto added, “We’ll be having an early start tomorrow, and I’m sure you’ll want to be part of it, yeah?”

“Yeah. I do. I want to find out exactly what my wife is up to. The nerve of that woman.” Rhys grunted in frustration. “I’ll tell you, I don’t know what I’ll do if she’s up to no good with those Blowfish.”

Jack and Ianto traded pained looks. “If she’s guilty, Rhys, Torchwood has ways to deal with traitors,” Jack said. “Why don’t we get all the facts first before we start talking about options?”

“I understand,” Rhys said deflated. “I won’t get in the way.”

Ianto placed a hand on the other man’s shoulder. “Let’s go eat.”

“I’m going to get ready for bed,” Jack said. “I hate tiring out so early.”

“You’re pregnant, Jack. Listen to your body. Rhys and I will behave out here.” He winked at Jack, who cracked a grin while Rhys laughed.

Jack said his goodnights to Rhys and as he left the living room, Ianto led Rhys over to the kitchen, deciding they will eat at the breakfast bar.


	3. Two Worlds, One Crime - Part 3

 

Continued from [Part Two](http://totally4ryo.livejournal.com/183693.html#cutid1)

 

 

 

Ianto and Rhys arrived in the Hub to find Toshiko and Owen already there. Owen was sitting at his workstation, grumbling about the need for coffee, while Toshiko was running the facial recognition program to piece Gwen’s whereabouts from the night before. Jack had called her the night before after speaking to Ianto while the two Welshmen were out looking for Gwen. While he wanted answers, it really was not pressing, and Jack told her to enjoy the rest of her evening with her family and to work on the program in the morning.

“Ianto, where the hell is the bloody coffee?” Owen yelled as Ianto removed the long black leather coat he had taken to wearing in cold weather in the last five years since he had returned with it from the other universe.

“Being that I just arrived, I assume it’s still waiting to be made,” Ianto quipped, going up to Jack’s office to hang up his coat.

“Where’s Jack?” Tosh asked.

“His turn to take Meghan to school and Franklin to Rhiannon’s,” Ianto replied coming out of Jack’s office. He leaned on the raining. “He had Evan and Tamwen too. We ended up hosting a slumber party last night. From talk over breakfast, the kids had a great time.”

“You have to love the last minute slumber parties,” Toshiko laughed. “At least the kids don’t feel like they’re being dumped while their parents go out to work.”

“That’s the idea,” Ianto said, straightening up and pulling down on his pinstriped jacket. “We do our best not to just dump them, after all. “ He came down the stairs and headed toward the kitchen. “Coffee will be ready soon. Jack said he’ll call when he’s in the carpark, to give us a chance to finish up our coffee.” He smirked as he went to work on the morning coffee as the others groaned, remembering that they couldn’t drink coffee around Jack for a while.

Ianto started to hand out the coffee. Rhys took a sip from his. “Ah, this was definitely a perk to joining Torchwood,” he sighed. “I’ll go up to reception and open things there, mate. You’ll let me know if you find anything on Gwen?”

“Of course,” Ianto replied.

Once Rhys was gone, Ianto turned to Toshiko. “I’m sure I don’t have to tell you, but you are running the program to all cameras in Cardiff?”

“I am, but it won’t be quick,” Toshiko said.

“I’m aware of it, but unfortunately it has to be done. Jack and I talked during breakfast this morning and we’re not going to draw any conclusions until we have at least several hits. Then we’ll attempt to piece what she was up to.” Ianto frowned, noticing that Owen was listening too. “Rhys is pretty upset that Gwen did not attempt to contact him. If she made it home, that is.”

“So are we considering Gwen a deserter?” Toshiko asked.

Owen checked his watch. “Considering that Cooper’s on her own, and not being rushed in by Rhys this morning, I would give her another 45 minutes before she’s considered late.”

“Jack said to give her until noon,” Ianto said.

“I hate to say it, but considering everything, I really don’t see her showing up,” said Owen.

Everyone went back to work. Ten minutes later, Ianto was in Jack’s office, working on paperwork when he heard Rhys call him through his comm. “What’s up, Rhys?” he asked.

Rhys spoke in clipped tones. **“Gwen. She’s here. Coming to work, as if nothing happened last night.”**

Ianto’s eyebrows went up. “Bring her down and let’s hear what she has to say.” He turned off his comm and then called Jack. When Jack answered, he asked, “What’s your ETA?”

**“Almost there. Another five minutes. What’s going on?”** Jack asked.

“Gwen. She just showed up for work. According to Rhys, as if nothing happened.”

**“Ok, hold her off until I get there.”**

“Got it. Don’t drive through red lights. We’ll wait until you arrive.” Ianto left the office and went over to where Toshiko was working on the CCTV program with Owen’s help. “Gwen is up in reception with Rhys,” he announced. “Acting as if nothing is wrong, I should add.” When he had their attention, he added, “We’re to hold off questioning until Jack gets here.”

“I got that much,” Owen commented. “Now how do you suppose we do that? You know Gwen.”

“We do,” Toshiko said. “And Rhys probably started to rant at her.” She looked at Ianto.

“And she’ll rant back,” Ianto added, catching on. “Let them have their domestic until Jack arrives.”

“Exactly,” Toshiko said.

Owen snorted and shook his head. “I’ll be in autopsy until Captain Preggers arrives.”

Ianto chuckled. “Brilliant Tosh. I’ll go get Jack’s tea ready.”

The moment Ianto reached the kitchen, he heard the proximity alarm go off while the cog wheel door rolled back. Gwen’s and Rhys’s voices echoed through the Hub as they entered. They went over to Gwen’s workstation, where they continued to argue.

Ianto glanced out from the kitchen. Toshiko continued to work at her workstation, while Owen was moving things in autopsy. A sound made Ianto look up and he smirked as he realized Gwen and Rhys did not notice Jack on the invisible lift lowering into the Hub. Myfanwy swooped down from her perch and squawked at Jack as she flew by.

Ianto moved across the Hub, mug of Jack’s favourite tea, passing Toshiko on the way. She glanced up and winked at him, pointing to her monitor. Ianto nodded and continued on his way. He approached the lift as it touched ground and Jack stepped off. Jack smiled at Ianto as he took the offered mug.

“I take it everyone had their coffee?” Jack asked after taking a sip of tea.

“Everyone but Gwen,” Ianto replied. He turned toward the domestic that was still happening in the Hub. “Diversion until you arrived.”

Jack laughed. “Sometimes they’re both too predictable. Shall we get this over?”

“Tosh started to get hits, but I don’t know how many.”

“It’s a start. We’ll confront Gwen and then send her home.” As Ianto started to open his mouth in protest, Jack added, “I’m going to tell her that if she leaves and goes off to do whatever on her own, she’s going to be Retconned. Depending on what Rhys wants to do will determine how far back.”

Ianto rolled his eyes. “And she knows you never will follow through.”

“Depends on the situation,” Jack said with a shrug. “Ianto, even if she stays home and waits, if we have evidence stacked against her that she’s dealing with Blowfish, it’s going to happen anyway. That or a UNIT hosted cell.”

“Jack, for what it’s worth, I really hope it doesn’t come to this.”

“And yet it’s not looking good. I’m sending her home after she explains herself only because I’m still giving her benefit of a doubt, until we no longer can. I don’t want to send her down to a cell yet, but we’re going to need to work on whatever Tosh finds, and then bring Gwen back in for more questioning.”

Ianto nodded. “Okay, but we’re going to have to have a way to track her in case she does run.”

“Do you have anything in mind?”

“We could plant a micro tracker on her. Owen should be giving her an exam anyway, just to rule out the imposter or alien influence theories.”

“You’re right. C’mon, let go break up the domestic and start getting answers.”

Jack snorted as he caught Ianto roll his eyes and started to head over the still arguing couple with Ianto right behind him.

“Can we have a little order here?” Jack yelled out as he approached Gwen and Ianto. “Hey! A little quiet about now would be good! Gwen! Rhys!”

An ear-splitting whistle was followed immediately by silence through the Hub. Everyone looked at Ianto, who stood next to Jack, looking smug. Rhys sighed and gave Jack an apologetic look, while Gwen stared wide-eyed first at Ianto and then Jack. Immediately upon knowing she had Jack’s attention, she gave him a big kicked puppy look. “Rhys believes that I’m working with Blowfish, Jack! Tell him that’s not true!”

Jack and Ianto shared a look. Ianto looked over to see Toshiko coming over to them looking concerned. Ianto was able to tell she had images of Gwen that could be incriminating. Ianto looked back to Jack, to catch him looking away from Toshiko.

Jack stared at Gwen in disbelief. “I wish I could, Gwen, but that’s what we’re going to talk about in a while. For now, what I want to know is why did you ditch your phone?”

“It’s not what you’re thinking, Jack. I told Rhys, but he won’t listen to me. You will, won’t you?”

“Oh, I listened to you, you bloody mad woman!” Rhys exclaimed. “I’m having trouble believing you!”

“Why did you dump your phone, Gwen?” Jack demanded.

“I wanted to go out and prove that it wasn’t me,” Gwen explained, big wide eyes fixed on Jack. “I knew if I kept the phone, someone would follow me. So I dumped it knowing someone would track it down. And then I’ll get it back.” Her gaze changed as if expecting Jack to have Ianto hand her the phone.

Jack folded his arms. “Right now, it’s evidence in an on-going investigation. So, did you have any luck?”

Gwen shook her head. “No. I thought I might have found them, but I was attacked from behind. Next thing I remember is waking up and my clothes were gone. There was a pile of strange clothes on me. So I put them on and went home, only to find that Rhys and the kids were not home. Just a note that Rhys was out working with Ianto.” She smiled at Jack. “I’m glad you didn’t feel like you had to track me down.”

Jack sighed. “I was at home with the kids, because I’m still somewhat recovering from this pregnancy. I sent Ianto and Rhys out to look for you. Then I decided I did not want Ianto running through the city looking for you all night long. Rhys too. So after a while I called Ianto and Rhys back. The kids were all asleep when they returned, and I didn’t want to break up the slumber party, so we had Rhys stay overnight.”

“Meanwhile I come home with a splitting headache in clothes not my own and find my husband not home waiting for me!” Gwen complained.

“Because I was out looking for you! If you didn’t dump your mobile and go swanning off on your own, I would have been home, with our children,” Rhys shouted.

“I was out hoping to prove it wasn’t me!” Gwen shouted back. She looked around. “Doesn’t anyone believe me?” She looked at each member as Toshiko handed Ianto some printouts. She finally settled on Jack, who looked away.

Jack looked down at the printouts Ianto was looking through. Ianto selected a page, holding it for Jack to see. Jack nodded and Ianto held it out toward Gwen. “I suppose that the clothes you claim you were left with looked like this?”

Gwen’s mouth dropped. “Yes. That’s them. That was me going home.”

Ianto nodded, and held up another picture. “And I suppose this was before you were knocked out?”

Gwen’s eyes went impossibly wide and her mouth hung open as she stared at what looked like her in black linen pants, and another black leather corset with two Blowfish.

“Fuckin’ bloody hell, Gwen!” Rhys yelled.

“Sounds pretty convenient to me,” Owen said.

Gwen stared at Owen and then to Toshiko, who looked away.

Ianto looked up from the printouts, his gaze on Gwen. “What happened to the monitoring equipment at your place?” he asked.

Again, Gwen looked at Jack, hoping he’ll let her get away with not answering. Jack folded his arms again and looked over at Ianto.

“What are you talking about?” Gwen asked, attempting to look offended. “What cameras?”

“The ones that went down when you entered,” Ianto replied.

She looked again at Jack. “I don’t have to answer him,” he insisted.

“Oh yes you do. Ianto has a valid question,” Jack replied. “And don’t give me that look. It is within Ianto’s rights to ask any question he feels necessary, and I expect you to answer him.”

Gwen rolled her eyes. “So I knew that you were all spying on me.” She turned accusing eyes on Rhys. “And you let them, didn’t you?” She glared at him. “Only I didn’t know where all the cameras were, and I was in no mood to be under observation after what I went through.”

“You used one of our signal dampeners, didn’t you?” Jack asked. “You took it out of the Hub without signing it out.”

Gwen spun on Jack, this time sparing giving him one of her kicked puppy looks. She glared angrily at him. “Would you have allowed me to take it if I did?” she snapped.

“No,” both Jack and Ianto said together.

Jack sighed. “You do realise that the footage could have supported your story. Instead, we just have your word for it.”

“Doesn’t matter anyway,” Owen said. “All we have now is the clothes she is wearing on video at her house. Isn’t that right?”

Jack nodded, having to agree with the medic. “It’s not looking good, Gwen. So you better have better answers and be damn convincing too.”

“Instead of those big ‘Help me, Jack,’ looks you’ve been giving,” Owen snarked.

Ianto rolled his eyes. Gwen should know better by now, since those looks stopped working on Jack years ago. Yet she still persisted on using them, expecting Jack to come to her rescue when she screwed up, or didn’t get the answer she wanted. She should have also remembered that it pissed Jack off more than usual when he was pregnant.

Jack held out his hand. “Give it over, Gwen.”

Gwen stared up at him. “I left it at home.”

“Well, then I expect it in my hand later today, or Ianto’s.” He looked over at Rhys. “Make sure it happens.”

Rhys nodded his head. “I’ll see to it.”

 

“Rhys!” Gwen shrieked. “Stop treating me like a criminal!”

“You removed tech from the Hub without signing it out, Gwen. That is a crime, and regardless of the outcome of our main problem, you will have to face punishment,” Jack stated. “And it’s Ianto’s job to see you are.”

Gwen’s jaw dropped and her eyes went wide again. “Jack!”

“Enough Gwen!” Jack snapped, at the end of his patience. The Captain cleared his throat. “Gwen, the team needs to go through the evidence. I want you to go home for a few hours. And so help me, if you leave without my say-so and go off on your own again, next time I see you, Torchwood won’t even be a memory to you. Do you understand?”

“But Jack!”

“Do you understand?”

“You couldn’t do that to me, Jack. You’ll miss me. You said so once.”

“A long time ago, Gwen. I doubt if we had this situation back then, I might not have said it. I’m not joking Gwen. I’m not sure you want to take the chance, because you have a lot to lose.” She started to open her mouth, getting her self-righteous look.

Ianto held up his hand, stepping between Jack and Gwen. “We might find reason to believe you, if you let us work this out. However, no matter what our findings, you go off against Jack’s orders, you will incriminate yourself and have to face the consequences. You have enough evidence against you. Don’t add more, especially if you are innocent.”

Gwen’s lips curled as she stared at Ianto. “Just because you’re married to the boss does not give you the right to order me around, Ianto.”

Ianto raised an eyebrow. “Maybe not, but seniority does.”

“Get off it, Gwen,” Owen laughed. “You’re not above any of us. We’ve all been in Torchwood longer than you, so stop looking down at us.” Toshiko and Owen had enough of Gwen’s having to take the lead a couple of years ago, and also fed up of her undermining Ianto’s abilities.

“Go, Gwen. Rhys, stay here,” Jack ordered.

“Jack!” Gwen complained one more time.

“GO GWEN! NOW!” Jack roared, his face turning red.

Gwen went pale and made a hasty retreat for the exit.

“And stay home until we call for you,” Jack ordered.

After Gwen left, Owen shook his head. “And once again, we have the infamous Harkness pregnancy hormones to deal with.”

Ianto smirked while Rhys groaned and Toshiko giggled. Jack simply glared at his team.

Ianto patted Jack’s shoulder. “It got her to shut up and stand down.” He smiled up to Jack. “That’s a good thing.”

“Right,” Jack said while Toshiko and Owen laughed.” Tosh, do you think you have everything?”

“I have enough. I’m able to pull up anything else from my laptop in the boardroom. The program is still running, but I did get quite a few hits.”

“Go grab your laptop and let’s head up into the boardroom,” Jack looked around at the team. “It’s been a rough morning and it’s still early. I think I can suffer through you having coffee during the meeting, as long as Ianto makes me more of that tea.” He batted his eyes at Ianto, causing the others to chuckle and breaking the tension.

Everyone went their own way to prepare for the meeting in the boardroom.

OoOoOoO

Jack sat back, looking at everyone at the conference table. It was more than a little shocking to discover what the pictures seemed to prove. First was Gwen earlier in the evening, where the black linen/leather outfit meeting with the Blowfish in another area from the first meet up. Then she went into a thick of trees. There were later pictures of Gwen meeting again with the Blowfish, holding some kind of device, but was wearing the clothes that Gwen was wearing earlier in the day at work.

Ianto seemed in thought, thrumming his fingers on the table.

“What is it, Ianto?”

“The clothes changes, they seem a little off.”

“Off?” Owen asked.

“Yes. First she’s in that strange style clothes, and then in her own, and then we have later pictures of her heading home in the same clothes. Only later, she’s back with the Blowfish in her earlier clothes.” Ianto picked up two sets of pictures. “Here we have her making her way through City Centre,” he said as he tapped on pile of images, “and in these she’s in the area where she later meets up with the Blowfish in the black clothes.” He tapped another set of photos. “Not much of a time lapse between the two.”

“If she is dealing in alien tech, then perhaps she is using some type of transmat?” Toshiko asked. “I mean, she has to have one to not come out of the trees some of those times.”

Jack nodded thoughtfully. “Could be.” He leaned his elbows on the table and frowned. “But where did she get it from? Ianto, do we have anything like that device in the Archives?”

“It could be any of many items, and unless we get an augmented photo, I can’t tell for certain what it is,” Ianto replied.

“But we did an inventory of the Archives yesterday,” Owen inputted. “And Ianto confirmed nothing was missing.”

“So whatever she has, she’s getting it from somewhere else?” Rhys asked. “Can she do that?”

“Anyone who knows where to look can,” Toshiko said. “That’s part of what you do, after all, Rhys.”

“Bidding on alien tech online,” Rhys replied.

“Exactly,” Jack stated. “Are we all convinced this is actually Gwen?” he asked everyone.

“I want to say yes, but while Gwen can be a pain in the arse at times, I can’t see her going this far,” Owen replied. “Yet, there’s the proof.”

“I was going to agree, until Ianto bought up the point about the timing,” Toshiko said.

“But you said she could be using one of those teleporting things,” Rhys said.

“She could be,” Ianto spoke up, “or it’s a double.”

“Okay, assuming it’s a double, then why pick Gwen to imitate?” Jack asked.

Shoulders shrugged across the table.

Ianto continued to stare at the pictures of Gwen dressed in the unfamiliar clothes. “There’s something about the clothes,” Ianto said. “I feel I should know them.”

“You saw Gwen in something like that?” Rhys asked. He gave a crooked grin. “I’ll admit, if the situation was different, I wouldn’t mind Gwen coming home in one of those outfits.”

Ianto rolled his eyes, while Jack chuckled.

“Too much information, Rhys. Leave it between you and Gwen,” Owen commented. “Bad enough we have those two over there who sometimes leaves little to the imagination.”

Toshiko gave Owen a strange look. Owen flicked a quick glance in Rhys’s direction before taking Toshiko’s hand in his and squeezed it lovingly. Toshiko smiled back at him.

“Tosh and I are the only discreet ones around here, it seems,” said Owen.

“Shocking, considering it’s you, Owen,” Ianto commented.

Owen started to open his mouth, glaring at Ianto, but Jack never gave him a chance to say anything.

“We seem to have more questions than answers,” Jack said. “So we’re not sure if it really is Gwen?”

“It could be, or it could be a double,” Toshiko replied.

“I agree,” said Ianto.

“Rhys?” Jack asked.

“Jack, I’m hoping to bloody hell that it’s a double. I don’t know what I’d do if it really is her.”

“I know, Rhys,” Jack replied sympathetically. “So let’s call her back, listen to what she has to say, ask her some questions, and then work on finding out the truth. Rhys, tell Gwen she’s wanted back here.”

Jack placed a hand on Ianto’s arm. “Don’t think too hard on it,” he said in reference to the clothes. He smiled at Ianto. “I think it’s time for lunch. How about you and I going out to get lunch. I could use some fresh air, and maybe the walk will help you work out whatever is eating at you.”

Ianto smiled back and the next few minutes were spent taking orders for lunch from the others. Jack and Ianto went to Jack’s office, where Ianto removed Jack’s coat from the coatrack and put it on, smoothing Jack’s shoulders before he turned to take his own coat. As he lifted the long black leather coat with its unique cut, something somewhat Victorian with some modern symmetrical lines, he froze in place, staring at his coat.

“Ianto?” Jack asked in concern. “Are you okay?”

“Gwen’s clothes,” Ianto remarked as Jack took the coat from Ianto’s hand and held it out for him to put it on.

“Whatever it is, let’s work it out on the way to get food,” Jack replied. He gently shoved Ianto out the office. “Samantha’s hungry.” He grinned as Ianto chuckled.

“If it’s what I think it is, then I’m inclined to believe it’s a double. And this double did not pick Gwen,” Ianto said as they made their way across the Hub. “At least not on purpose.”

Jack led Ianto to the lift and opened his wrist strap to activate the lift. As it went up, he asked Ianto, “Then what?”

“Jack, I think that it is Gwen, but not our Gwen.” At Jack’s stare, he ventured on. “Her clothes. How could I be so stupid that I didn’t see it before? Jack, she might be a Gwen from an alternate universe. One that is from the one we went to, or close to it.”

Jack turned his head to stare at Ianto in amazement. “You might be onto something. Didn’t they say Gwen from the other universe disappeared?”

“She used some substandard time travel device and was never heard of again,” Ianto recalled.

“Until now. Maybe. It’s possible.”

Just as they reached the street level, they heard the Rift alarms go off. “Bloody hell, and I’m starving,” Jack cursed. He turned on his comm. “Tosh? What do we have?”

**“Major spike with some unknown energies,”** came the reply.

Ianto had his comm on and groaned along with Jack. They stood on the paving stone, where they would remain virtually unseen as Jack spoke into the comm. “Are you getting any readings of what came through? Are we looking for animal, mineral, inanimate or none of the above?”

Ianto bristled. He was not in the mood that day for none of the above Rift alerts. They were always the worse. They had enough to deal with between Gwen and minor Rift spikes. He took Jack’s hand in his and squeezed it.

**“Human,”** Toshiko replied. **“Two of them.”**

“And we’re positive it isn’t a negative spike?” Jack asked.

**“No. Not negative, but not normal either. The logarithm of the spike doesn’t match the usual Rift spikes.”**

Ianto looked at Jack, frowning. “What does that mean?”

“It was created,” Jack said. “Someone used the Rift to bring them here.”

“Jack, I’m picking up a signal.”

“Signal? What kind?”

“It’s an S.O.S and something in code. Hold on.”

Jack and Ianto waited while Toshiko worked on the code. They grinned when they heard the pretty Japanese technician mutter, **“Come on guys, that wasn’t even hard.”**

“So?” Ianto asked.

**“Torchwood. It’s alternating between an S.O.S. and the word Torchwood,”** Toshiko replied.

“What the hell?” Jack asked. “Someone comes through the Rift and is looking for us?”

**“It better not be that bloody psycho ex of yours, Jack,”** Owen’s voice came over the comm.

Ianto went from frowning to a look of dawning realisation. “Jack, what were we talking about just now?” he asked. “About it possibly being a Gwen from an alternate world?”

**“What’s that boys?” Toshiko asked.**

**“Are we changing the story again?”** Owen asked.  </b>“It would be nice to let the rest of us in.”</b>

“Ianto had an epiphany on the lift, and then this alert. We never had a chance to explore it further, or run it by the rest of you lot,” Jack snapped, sounding annoyed.

“I assume you have coordinates,” Ianto broke in calmly, squeezing Jack’s hand affectionately.

**“Yes. It’s not far from here, over by the Water Guard,”** Toshiko replied.

Jack looked at Ianto in question.

“We’re going to go get our lunch,” Ianto said, “and bring back enough for two more.”

Jack grinned. “Did you hear that? While we get lunch, Tosh and Owen, you go get our guests and bring them back to the Hub.”

**“Excuse me?”** Owen asked. **“Would we be showing our hospitality in a cell?”**

“If it’s who we believe it is, no. Make them comfortable in the boardroom. If Gwen arrives before we get back, have Rhys sit with her on the couch. Rhys could coordinate from the Hub and get the boardroom ready for lunch until Gwen arrives,” Jack instructed.

**“And how will we know if it is who you believe it is?”** Owen asked.

“You’ll know,” Jack said with a smirk. “If they look familiar, then as I just said. If by some chance, they don’t, detain them in reception until I get back.”

**“You’re the boss,”** Owen replied sarcastically.

“Get on it, Owen,” Jack ordered. “Call me only if there’s trouble.” Turning off his comm, he looked at Ianto. “I’m glad we decided on the café right here.”

“Me too.” As they started to walk along the Plass, “It’s crazy, but it makes sense if it really is them.”

Jack smirked. “We were first encountered by Tosh and Owen, now it’s their turn.”

“But they were sending a signal,” Ianto said.

“Make sense to me. They most likely know where they are by the coordinates used, and sent us a message.”

“And then it means that we are dealing with an evil Gwen, so to say. I’m glad that it isn’t our Gwen who is selling out to the highest bidder.”

“You’re telling me. It kind of shook me to think that any of our team could do that.”

Ianto slipped his arm around Jack, and turned his head to look at his husband. “We’re all more than a team, Jack. We’re a family. Dysfunctional at times, but we’re still family.”

“I know. C’mon and let’s get the food.”

Together the two men walked toward Mermaid Quay, Ianto’s arm still around Jack’s waist. People stared at the two strikingly handsome men in long unusual coats, the coats’ tails billowing in the wind as they walked.


	4. Two Worlds, One Crime - Part 4

 

Continued from [Part Three](http://totally4ryo.livejournal.com/183883.html#cutid1)

 

 

 

 

Toshiko and Owen were in the boardroom, staring in shock at their two visitors. Toshiko sat at the table across from the two men, while Owen leaned against the wall near the door, arms folded.

Meanwhile the two men were sitting back, looking relaxed and taking in their surroundings. One wore a blue grey wool military coat that almost looked like Jack’s, except Toshiko suspected that it came from a different war, a war she probably never heard of. What he wore under the coat was unlike anything they had caught Jack in; including the times they saw him off duty. The man who looked exactly like Jack Harkness wore a high collared dark blue military style shirt that slightly reminded Toshiko and Owen of Victorian, but there were some symmetrical cuts to the shirt. Brass buttons went along a diagonal, starting from the right side on the top and finished on the left side at the bottom. The edges were piped in black leather. His black pants were a soft wool also cut in Victorian style. He wore a wristband similar to Jack’s.

The man sitting next to them, who had Ianto’s face, wore a long black leather coat that was also very similar to the one Ianto had taken to wearing during the colder months for the last five years. Under the coat, he wore a black leather waistcoat edged in zigzags and closed with bright brass straps. Under the waistcoat was a fine quality burgundy shirt and a black silk thin ascot for a tie. His pants were pinstripes and cut very much like the man who looked like Jack. On his left wrist he wore a bracelet of twisted metal and gears. Both men wore matching brass bands on their left ring fingers.

As if seeing doubles of Jack and Ianto weren’t enough, the two men waited for their pick up near the Waterguard with luggage. They spoke little on the short ride back. Owen and Toshiko knew something of these two men, being that Jack and Ianto shared some of their adventures. The two guests knew of this team.

Rhys was in the Hub proper because Gwen had arrived minutes ago. Ianto had just called to say they were on their way back to the Hub with their food.

When they first entered the boardroom, Toshiko offered them tea, but both men opted on water, stating they would wait until Ianto’s coffee.

Unable to take the silence anymore, Owen pushed away from the wall. “So Ianto tells me you’re a 1500 year old pervert,” he said to Black-coat Ianto.

“Owen!” Toshiko warned him.

Black-coat Ianto raised his eyebrows, while the other Jack shook his head in amusement.

“He did, did he?” Black-coat Ianto asked.

“Ianto said no such thing, Owen. Now stop,” Toshiko warned.

“I’m 1200 more or less, not 1500,” Black-coat Ianto stated calmly.

“And you took up with a 50-something year old. Shame on you,” Owen continued.

“Well, it’s a little hard to find someone close to my age. At least not human.” He arched his eyebrow. “Wouldn’t you agree, Dr. Harper?”

Owen rolled his eyes. “Prejudiced now, are you?” he asked sarcastically. He looked over to Jack. “Don’t tell me you’re only into humans now?”

“I’m only into Ianto since I met him,” the otherworld Jack replied. “Before that,” he shrugged, “I was always willing to try something new.” He started to leer. “Imagine a multi-gender with 10 extensions that when not used for walking or holding something, can do some pretty unimaginable things.”

Owen took a step back. “No thanks,” he sputtered.

“Now who’s prejudiced?” Black-coat Ianto said with a smirk. “I’ve had my share too, but that’s beside the point. Like Jack, it’s just him now. Has been since we met.”

Toshiko giggled. “Owen had a run-in with something very much like what you just described once. I think hir took a liking to Owen.”

The two men laughed as Owen grumbled.

“Well, nice to see everyone getting along,” they heard their Captain’s voice come from the doorway.

Everyone turned to find Jack standing in the doorway, in his coat and holding onto some carrier bags. Behind him, was Rhys, also with bags, and they could barely make out Gwen behind Rhys.

Jack entered the room. “Ianto is getting the coffee on, and will be joining us as soon as it’s ready,” he said as he put the bags on the table, moving for Rhys to put the rest. Gwen entered and stopped, staring at the two men sitting at the table with Toshiko.

“They look just like….” With wide, shocked eyes her look went from the two men to Jack. “Bloody hell, that’s you and Ianto!”

Jack laughed. “Yes. They are. These are our hosts when we found ourselves transported to an alternate world. Good to see you two again.” He went over to the two, who stood up. Jack hugged both of them. To the other Jack, he said, “Looking good there, Captain.” He winked and turned his head in time to find Black-coat Ianto rolling his eyes. He laughed more. “Ianto and I were just on our way out to get lunch, so we brought back something for you.”

“That’s most kind of you,” Black-coat Ianto stated. “And as good as it is to see you again, we do have an unfortunate reason to be here, and hoping for the help of your team.”

“I’m certain you’re not lost like we were,” Jack said, taking takeaway tins from the bags and starting to hand them out, with Rhys helping.

Gwen, not knowing what else to do went around the boardroom table to sit down in the chair next to Jack’s, across from their two guests, and next to Toshiko. Jack noticed and cleared his throat. “In case, you’ve forgotten, Gwen, that’s Ianto’s chair.” With a frown she stood up and went to sit on the other side of Toshiko. She was stopped in mid-motion of sitting down by Owen’s hand on her arm.

“That would be my chair you’re sitting in. I called it first when Tosh took the one she’s in.”

She started around the table to sit next to the other Jack.

“That would be Rhys’s seat,” Owen stated.

Gwen stood with her hands on her hips, giving them a big wide-eyed pout. “Now where do you suppose I’m going to sit?”

“Next to Rhys, of course,” Jack replied, as if it should be obvious. He had finished giving out the food and was seated in his usual chair at the front of the table, and opening his tin.

Everyone else was doing the same. Gwen sat next to Rhys, still pouting, but then smiled a little when he pushed a tin toward Gwen. Jack smiled at her. “We knew you were coming back, so we made sure everyone at this table was going to eat.”

“Thank you.”

Jack looked out at everyone. “Ianto should be joining us shortly and then we can talk while we eat, but I will say one thing.” To his guests, he asked, “I take it you’re here because of something to do with your world’s Gwen?”

Both men nodded. “Yes,” Black-coat Ianto replied, not looking surprised. “You’ve seen her then?”

“We did.” Jack indicated toward Gwen. “We thought we had a traitor amongst our midst. It wasn’t sitting well.”

“You mean, you believe me?” Gwen gasped.

“Ianto started to figure it out when we were leaving the Hub. We were pretty much certain we were dealing with a double when Tosh alerted us to your arrival.” He grinned at the doubles. “Nice job on the message.”

“So you sent Tosh and Owen to get us, while you and Ianto went to get everyone lunch?” the other Jack asked, looking amused.

“Touché,” came Ianto’s voice from the door. Everyone looked up to see Ianto enter carrying a tray with a carafe of coffee, along with mugs for everyone. Much to everyone’s delight, the mugs were already filled with coffee prepared exactly how each person at the table liked it. He also had cream and sugar on the tray. Ianto smiled at the appreciative looks he got as he handed out the mugs. “I figured more coffee might be needed during this discussion.”

Jack grinned, the love obvious in his gaze as he looked up at Ianto. “I love how you have this knack to anticipate our needs.” His gaze turned into a leer.

Ianto barely suppressed the urge to roll his eyes, and let out a heavy sigh. “We’ll see how far you get at this stage of pregnancy,” he stated as he set down a cup of Jack’s favourite blend of tea before the Captain.

The others chuckled, except for Gwen, who cast a worried look at the two visitors. Jack caught her look and laughed. “I’m not worried about them. Remember where we got the name Meghan from?”

Captain Jack looked pleased. “Oh, you’re pregnant? Is Meghan finally on her way then?”

Black-coat Ianto looked between the two men with a small smile. “Does this mean that you both made honest men out of each other?”

Jack took Ianto’s hand in his and smiled brightly. “As honest as the laws around here allow us,” he replied.

Ianto’s smile matched Jack’s. “And no, this would be Samantha,” he replied. He pulled his hand from Jack’s and reached to a side table behind him where there were some framed photos. He picked one and handed it to his double. “Meghan and Franklin,” he presented. “She’s five and Frankie’s two.”

Jack nodded. “On our wedding night, I realized that I was pregnant.” He stared at the two doubles. “After I did the math, I realized that I got pregnant during our visit to your lovely world.”

“They’re lovely children,” Black-coat Ianto said with a smile. “But then they look like our children, so they are definitely lovely.”

Captain Jack laughed with amusement. “No arguments from me. I’m glad you went the further steps. Congratulations.” His eyes went to the other framed photos. “I see Aubrey there.” He looked over to Owen and Toshiko. “Congratulations to you too.”

“Thank you,” Toshiko said with a blush.

Owen cleaned his throat. “His name is Aubrey, but we didn’t know our doubles on your world had a boy named Aubrey until after we told these two what we were naming our son.”

Captain Jack grinned. “Then that little fella was definitely meant to be.”

Toshiko smiled warmly. “I still look at him sometimes and I’m amazed that he’s mine.” She shook her head. “There was once a time I thought that I would never find someone to settle down with and have a family.”

“Fancy a second one of these years?” Captain Jack asked slyly, causing Toshiko and Owen to look at each other. He started to grin when the married couple smiled at each other and Owen took her hand in his, squeezing it lovingly.

“And who are those children?” Black-coat Ianto asked, indicating the photo of Evan and Tamwen.

“That would be our lovely children,” Rhys said, resting his hand on Gwen’s arm. “Evan and Tamwen.”

“Lovely too,” Black-coat Ianto said. “A different set of children than I’m used to being yours, Rhys.”

Gwen started to frown. “What do you mean by that?” She glared at Jack and Ianto. “Come to think of it, you kept avoiding the issue whenever I asked about me and Rhys after you came back.”

“Rhys’s children have a different mother. A lovely woman by the name of Lady Christina,” Captain Jack explained. “Oh, Rhys was once engaged to Gwen, but she wanted to do her own thing, make her own rules. She decided she was going to travel in time without getting permits and then used some cheap contraband contraption.”

“She disappeared,” Jack added. “We were uncomfortable with telling you both. You were going through one of those rough patches at the time too. After that, well, we figured why tell you.” He frowned as he continued, “But I guess now is time for the truth. I’m sorry, both of you.”

Gwen glared at them. “You still have your bloody secrets, Jack!” she accused. Her angry eyes turned to Ianto. “And you’ve gotten just as bad as him these last few years. Is it because you’re sleeping with the boss? Does Jack expect you to be as ruthless as him?”

Ianto turned hard eyes to Gwen. “I am doing more than sleeping with the boss, Gwen. I am Jack’s husband and we have two children together with another on the way. Or did you conveniently forget that again?”

“Honestly, Gwen,” Jack snapped. “I thought we got past this years ago. Remember, I love Ianto. You love Rhys.”

“Someone looks like she’s in a mood,” Captain Jack muttered.

“I have a right to be in a mood. For the last few days I was under suspicion of being a traitor, and then today was accused outright of it,” Gwen complained. “And now we’re all sitting around with Heckle and Jekyll discussing families?”

“I’ve been running the recognition program since they arrived,” Toshiko stated.

Their two guests looked affronted at Gwen’s reference. “I never heard of them,” Black-coat Ianto stated, “but from the sound of it, it can’t be good.”

Captain Jack took his husband’s hand in his. “For the record, Mrs Williams, but I’m taken too.” He winked at her with an amused grin.

Chuckles and guffaws went around the table, except for Gwen who scowled at the duplicate of her boss. “Duly noted,” Gwen remarked sarcastically.

To Gwen’s chagrin, after some more laughs, everyone settled into eating their lunch.

Once lunch was finished, their two guests started to explain how the missing Gwen of their world had started to be seen. She attempted to join the contraband market in Cardiff, but when Torchwood got too close, she picked up shop and disappeared again. Fortunately for them, the device she had used, while it did not use Rift energy, it left behind a trail for them to follow.

“So when we saw that the coordinates matched close enough to the ones we used to send you home, Jack and I knew where she was, and that it should be the two of us to undergo this mission. So we prepared, packed for travel because we did not want to take the chance that we can get this over with in a day, and left,” Black-coat Ianto explained.

“We used the same coordinates from when we sent you back and tapped into the Rift to announce our arrival,” Captain Jack added.

“That explains that,” Toshiko said.

Owen shook his head. “Bloody Harkness and grand entrances. Only it looks like he’s not the only one.”

Captain Jack smiled brightly. “I do enjoy a big entrance.”

Black-coat Ianto rolled his eyes. “I don’t plan for them, but they do tend to happen for me.”

Captain Jack snorted. “Don’t let his modesty act fool you,” he said with a grin.

“Back to subject of us finding a certain Gwen Cooper,” Black-coat Ianto stated, his tone all business. He turned his head toward Gwen. “And not you, obviously. We apologize for any inconveniences our wayward one has caused you.”

Gwen waved him off and smiled. “You are most kind, but it’s not your fault. However, I do insist of having some time to tell that bitch what I think.”

“We’ll try, Gwen,” Jack said, “but our focus is capturing her and seeing she is brought to justice in her own world.”

Black-coat Ianto raised a hand as he looked at Jack. “Apparently you do not understand our justice at all.”

At Jack’s questioning look, as the rest of the team looked on with interest, it was Jack’s double who picked up where his husband had left off. “Torchwood is responsible for allowing travel to many worlds, as you know. Since your visit, we have opened travel up to alternate worlds using the technology based on the hopper you encountered.”

“It’s a fairly new development. It took three years to set the laws to govern such travel and another year of producing the highest quality hoppers, emphasis on the safety of the travellers as well as assuring the fabric between the universes are not fractured,” Black-coat Ianto explained. “We also strive to maintain peace amongst the universes we allow travel to.”

It was Ianto who leaned forward, a serious look on his face. “Not that I don’t trust you, but after going through the security footage salvaged from Torchwood One, I can’t help but still be concerned.” He looked over at Jack. “Which is why Jack and I decided to lock up the hopper in secure Archives upon our return. I hate the thought of evils from another world unleashed again on an unsuspecting one.”

Black-coat Ianto smiled. “And I would not expect less from you. I assure you that it is safe. It has been sanctioned by the Doctor himself.”

“Good God,” Gwen exclaimed. “There are two of him too?”

Jack snorted. “With I don’t know how many regenerations of him travelling in time, who knows how many of him we have in our world.”

“Too many, I’m sure,” Ianto chuckled.

“Well obviously there is a Doctor that at least Ianto here,” Jack indicated Black-coat Ianto, “encountered. That is how he ended up immortal.”

Black-coat Ianto nodded. “Indeed. That is how I ended up immortal. I found myself traveling with him as a young man. And we have been in contact with him from time to time, helping him when needed. We managed to get him to show up and look over our final options of the universe hoppers before starting to produce them and making them available for public travel. Now the one that Gwen is using, however, is of a substandard quality. So not only is her crime selling contraband, but also unauthorised inter-dimensional travel and endangering worlds, and the fabric of time itself.”

“I have a question, if I may,” Toshiko said quietly.

Both their guests turned to her, giving her their full attention.

“I take it that these hoppers do not tap into Rift energy then?”

“Many of the contraband ones do not, which is what makes them dangerous. They cannot be used to easily slip into another dimension without causing damage to the fabric between the worlds,” Black-coat Ianto explained. “However, not all worlds are connected by a Rift because it is a rare thing. There are very few fixed points to the Rift, meaning they are anchored to one place.”

“Cardiff is a fixed point then,” Jack intercepted. “Both Cardiffs.”

“Pretty much all Cardiffs as far as we were able to see,” Captain Jack said. “I can’t say we came even close to all the possible Cardiffs, but we did do surveys, sending teams when we were determining which dimensions to make available for travel, and all that was visited had their own Rifts. Which was pretty much what we expected, especially after your visit. Cardiff will always be the stepping stone in traveling to alternative worlds.”

“Some have a Torchwood, while others do not. We prefer to use the ones without a Torchwood, just to avoid contact with multiple versions of ourselves. It could get quite complicated,” Black-coat Ianto explained. “There is always the possibility of exceptions, of course. However, no matter where you go, there will always be someone monitoring, be it hobby or professional, if not in the same capacity of Torchwood, and on most worlds we cannot allow our travellers insertion to be picked up in monitoring. So we use suppressors to mask our entrance.”

“Is Gwen, I mean the other Gwen, using such suppressors? Is that why our sensors have not been able to pick up her comings and goings?”

“Exactly that,” Captain Jack answered. “I think it’s the only thing she is using that is not substandard. However, what she has to offer to those handing over money in exchange for goods will be substandard.”

“Basically she shows them a higher quality model but what she actually sells may look the same but work differently,” Jack summed up, remembering his days as a conman.

“Not basically,” Captain Jack said. “Exactly that.”

“So we can’t pick up her whereabouts?” Toshiko asked.

“Not without the right calibrations to your equipment,” Captain Jack answered. “And we have such a device that will unmask her activities and you’ll be able to pick it up.”

“So one of you can work with Tosh and get it set up and we can finally make some progress with this,” Jack said, leaning back in his seat.

“As said before, we do not expect this to be over in a night. It’s more than just picking up Ms Cooper,” Black-coat Ianto stated. “We need to recover all devices that have made it into this world. We’ll need to find out where she is keeping her stash.”

Jack nodded. “And to clean out the involved Blowfish of anything she might have given as samples.”

“Exactly,” Captain Jack said. “We cannot expect her to be cooperative, so we’ll have to do the clean-up ourselves.” He glanced around the table. “Hopefully with your help, with your Captain’s blessing, of course.”

“You have full use of the team, including Ianto,” Jack replied. “I’ll be able to help but with limited capacity. And Rift permitting, of course.”

“Of course,” Black-coat Ianto agreed. “I understand that the Rift comes first.”

“I’ll be happy to assist any Rift alerts that might occur while we’re here,” Captain Jack said.

Jack nodded his head. “Thanks for the offer, and being that I’m out of action I might take you up on the offer while we have you here.”

Ianto started to tap his fingers on the table top. “Do we have enough time before she makes her move?”

“From what we were able to pull up from CCTV, after the fact,” Toshiko said, “it does seem like she’s not planning on completing a sale right away.”

Jack nodded his head thoughtfully. “I’ll have to agree, but the sooner we can take her activities as they are happening, the more accurate we can be in working out a time frame.”

“Jack,” Black-coat Ianto indicated his Jack, “could work with Tosh to get this set up.”

“Well, if we’re done with lunch and briefing, then I suggest they start on it,” Jack said.

The other Jack held up a hand. “If I may add one more thing before getting to work?”

“What’s that?” Jack asked.

Black-coat Ianto glanced at his husband, and then rolled his eyes in annoyance.

“You promised me, Ianto. You know I wasn’t enthusiastic about you coming along, but you promised you would not put yourself in any danger,” Captain Jack said to his partner.

While the others looked on at the two in confusion, Ianto stared at his double in dawning realisation.

“I don’t get it,” Gwen said. “If he’s immortal, then what’s the problem?”

“You’re pregnant, aren’t you?” Ianto blurted out.

Black-coat Ianto nodded his head. “I am.”

“It was a shock to us because Ianto got pregnant without travelling for any treatment,” Captain Jack explained.

Looking at his team, Jack decided to explain. “If I recall correctly, in order for Ianto to get pregnant, they had to travel to another planet in the future where male pregnancies are common, where he underwent treatment to get pregnant, and then they stayed until they were able to travel home with a baby.”

“That’s how we thought it should work for Ianto,” Captain Jack explained, nodding in agreement with what Jack said, “which is why this was a shock. We only discovered that he was pregnant three weeks ago.”

“Bloody Torchwood,” Gwen muttered.

Captain Jack laughed. “We’re thinking the same, but we’re looking forward to it anyway. The kids are excited too. Travel was determined safe for someone pregnant, but I was more worried about Ianto stepping in where he shouldn’t.”

Jack shrugged, looking rueful. “It’s a hard habit to break after so long of knowing you can put your life on the line to protect those you love and them not losing you.”

“But it’s more than that now,” Ianto stated firmly. “It’s not about you anymore, Jack. Or you.” He stared at his double. “I suggest you and our Jack work together in running operations from the Hub.”

“I insist on it,” Captain Jack remarked.

“You mean that the two bloody immortals are off the field?” Rhys asked.

The two immortals shared a look and Jack laughed. “It seems like that.” His look changed to one of concern. “Which means everyone needs to be especially careful. Losing anyone is not an option.”

“The usual,” Owen quipped.

“Right then, Tosh you’ll work with our pregnant guest in getting our monitoring program enhanced, while Gwen, I want you to stay with me and my double and tell us more about your encounter with your double.” He took a deep breath. “But after I make a trip to the loo.”

Ianto looked at him in concern. “Are you okay, Jack?”

“I just gotta get away from the coffee and breathe normal air for a bit. I’ll be fine.” He stood up, and after leaning over to kiss Ianto’s forehead, started for the door. “I’ll be back shortly. Ianto, make sure everyone is busy. Except for the two to remain in here for a while.”

Gwen frowned as Jack left the room.

Ianto stood up. “I believe that’s the cue for Tosh and my double to get to work,” he said. “Rhys, can you help me clear out this room so it doesn’t smell like coffee by the time Jack gets back?”

“I’m on it, mate,” Rhys stated standing up. He started to collect the empty coffee mugs and placing them on the tray.

“Owen, since we don’t have any medical needs, could you continue to go through the recognition program and compile anymore incriminating images to clue us in on the other Ms. Cooper’s doings?”

Owen slyly glanced at Gwen and then smiled. “Sure thing, Tea Boy. I’m on it.” He stood up and held his hand out to Tosh. “C’mon Tosh. Time to catch this crazy bird.”

Toshiko smiled as she took Owen’s hand and allowed him to bring her to her feet. “Ianto,” she said, sounding uncertain as she spoke to Black-coat Ianto, “if you would join us?”

Black-coat Ianto nodded in agreement. He gave his Jack a soft kiss and whispered, “I’ll be fine. Don’t worry,” and stood up to follow Toshiko and Owen out of the boardroom.

 

Gwen stayed in her seat, watching, feeling out of sorts. One moment they were all accusing her of being a traitor. She had been threatened with Retcon by Jack. Then she was called back to find out she was no longer suspect, and learnt how it was a double from an alternate world that was causing the trouble. What annoyed her was she was yet to receive the proper apology she deserved. To add to the insult, Jack turned to Ianto to handle things while he went rushing off to the bathroom, most likely to be sick for a while. She was second in command, and now that they believed she was not the one in the images with the Blowfish, it should have been her handling things. Just because Ianto was living with Jack did not mean he was right for the job. She honestly did not know what got into them, but realised more and more over the last few years, Ianto had gone around acting as if he was more important than she was.

Rhys was finishing gathering the remains of their lunch and the coffee. “I have it, Ianto,” he said, collecting the empty carafe. “I’ll use some of that air freshener that Jack likes once I remove this from the room.” He smiled at Ianto.

“One more thing, if you would, Rhys,” Ianto said.

“Sure. You’re the boss,” Rhys replied.

Gwen rolled her eyes at her husband’s back. No matter how many times she had tried to tell Rhys that Ianto was not his boss, he still would say silly things like that. It was Jack, and then her. Rhys seemed to have this misguided idea that just because he was the last one hired, that it put him below everyone else already there. Rhys was only doing what Ianto should have been because one day Ianto became too lazy to do his job.

Ianto sat down again.

“You don’t have to babysit us, Ianto,” Gwen stated.

“No, but I think I want to talk a little with our guest until Jack is back.”

Gwen frowned again, unseen by the two men in the room with her.

Meanwhile, Ianto and Captain Jack were already making small talk, catching up on the five years since they had last seen each other, as well as Ianto inviting the visiting men have dinner that evening at the flat he shared with Jack.

OoOoOoO

Ianto entered their flat with their two guests in tow. As he watched them put down their luggage in the reception hall, he said, “Once again, I apologise that we cannot accommodate you, but you will get to experience a suite in our version of the St. David’s.” Ianto took off his coat and hung it on his usual hook on the antique coat rack. On the way out of the Hub, both men were pleased to see that Ianto had taken to wearing the coat he was sent home five years ago wearing.

“It’s no problem,” Captain Jack said as he handed Ianto his coat, “we would have had you stay with us, but our room was limited.” He helped Black-coat Ianto take off his and handed it over to Ianto.

“We had to move since you were with us,” Black-coat Ianto stated as he picked up his carry-all to follow Ianto into the large living room.

Both men gazed around the room, the first thing they noticed was the long curved wall with three wide windows that ran almost floor to ceiling. Beyond the windows was a lovely view of Cardiff Bay, including the back of the St. David’s hotel.

Captain Jack sighed as he looked out the window. “As much as I love our homes, I miss being up on higher floors like this. When I first came to Cardiff to live, I took out a flat on the higher floors of the Altolusso building. Ianto moved in not long after.” He smiled fondly as he continued. “Meghan was born there, but when I got pregnant with Franklin, we knew we needed more room. Some place with a yard for the children. So we got the house you visited.”

Black-coat Ianto came to stand behind Captain Jack, slipping his arms around the other man’s waist and looking out at the view over his husband’s shoulder. “We moved since then,” he said. “This is a lovely place you have here. Where we’re from, this is a boarding house.”

“Another beautiful sprawling Victorian,” Ianto recalled from his walks with Jack during their time in the other Cardiff.

Together the two men turned to face Ianto.

“Jack and I are looking at houses. With the new baby on the way, we’re running out of room.” He smiled. “And once we started talking about moving, we realised that we wanted the children to have more than a terrace to play on. Besides, Meghan started school this year, meaning many more children to invite for her birthday.”

Captain Jack laughed. “At the least. It’s also good to host play dates, even once a month, along with other events that comes with being a parent of a school age child.” He grinned at Ianto. “It’s all worth it.”

“Well, make yourselves comfortable. Would you like coffee before I start on dinner?” Ianto asked.

“Yes, please,” Black-coat Ianto replied. He picked up his carry-all and opened it, digging in and pulling out a colourful canvas bag that was almost the size of the carry-all. “When we realised we were coming here, I decided to pack some of this to give as a gift. I hope it’s not too presumptuous of me to think you would enjoy this.”

Ianto looked inside the bag and his mouth dropped. “It’s your favourite coffee beans, from some backwoods little planet in the Capsian system in the 64th century,” Ianto replied with a huge grin. “You didn’t have to, but I’m not complaining. For five years, I’ve been craving a chance to have another cup. I had started to believe the next time would be if Jack actually managed to make me immortal, or near enough to wait out 4300 years and travel there.”

Captain Jack laughed as he placed an arm around his Ianto’s shoulders. “We now have commerce deals with the people who own the coffee crops. They needed some help from Torchwood, and we managed to get coffee shipments as part of the negotiation fees. We also contribute to the village’s commerce with touring groups, especially during their Festival months. It’s like Carnival in Venice, Brazil and Mardi Gras in New Orleans combined, plus some.” He shrugged.

Ianto sighed. “Unfortunately, for the next few weeks at least, I won’t be able to make any of this here. I don’t want to torture Jack with his intolerance for coffee at the moment.”

“I understand,” Captain Jack said. “I know how he feels, and then suddenly I want more coffee than should be good for the baby. Meanwhile this one has never been put off coffee while pregnant so far.”

Ianto chuckled. “I am bringing some in to give to the team tomorrow morning. While Jack is going through his no coffee phase, he has agreed to get the children sorted in the morning, while I get to the Hub so we can have our morning coffee.”

“You should open an area in the lower levels of that remarkable Hub as a coffee area until Jack is ready to deal with coffee again,” Black-coat Ianto suggested.

“I’m tempted,” Ianto said with a chuckle. “Especially having these beans to brew. And if you’re to have some coffee before Jack returns with Meghan and Franklin, I should get it on now. And then you both could select some of our clothes so you could fit in with the locals.” He grinned at the two men. “Now it’s your turn to blend in with the locals.”

“Looking forward to it,” Captain Jack said as Ianto went to put on the coffee.


	5. Two Worlds, One Crime - Part 5

 

Continued from [Part Four](http://totally4ryo.livejournal.com/184123.html#cutid1)

 

 

 

 

The three men were in the living room, watching television, coffee drunk, and the living room no longer smelling of coffee thanks to an air freshener brought home from the Hub and the door to the terrace open to let some fresh air in when Jack arrived with Meghan and Franklin.

On the way back from Rhiannon’s, Jack stopped so he could get them a light snack, and then told the children about the two men waiting at home who looked like their fathers. Once Jack was assured they were ready to meet their guests, as well as give the men a chance to have coffee, he headed for home.

Once Jack got Meghan and Franklin out of their coats, the two children ran from Jack in excitement. Franklin entered the living room and stopped, his little mouth hanging open, his bright blue eyes wide. Meghan started to jump up and down, clapping her hands.

“They do look like Daddy and Taddy!” she exclaimed.

Franklin looked up at Ianto. “Taddy and Daddy and Taddy and Daddy!”

The men started to laugh. Ianto caught Franklin as he started to run across the room and scooped him up, hugging him and kissing his nose. “And hello to you, young man. Did you have a good day at Aunt Rhi’s?”

“Yep! Lots fun!” he replied, nodding his head. He put his arms around Ianto’s neck and hugged him, and then stared at their guests.

Jack entered the living room, taking Meghan’s hand and guiding her across the room. “Remember, princess, that they are not us. I mean they are but they are from another place far away.”

Meghan nodded. “Twins!”

Jack laughed. “Alright, twins then. Now go say hello to Taddy, and then you can say hello properly to our guests.”

“Okay Daddy.” She smiled up at Jack before rushing over to Ianto, who had put Franklin down. The two doubles were cooing over the little boy, who was grinning and enjoying all the attention. “I had fun in school today, Taddy. I was invited to a party. Can I go?” she asked as Ianto lifted her. She hugged him tightly. “I love you, Taddy.”

“I love you too, Meghan. And later we’ll talk about the party. I need to know where and who will be there,” Ianto said.

Meghan pouted because she was hoping Ianto would say yes right away. She got basically the same reply from Jack on the way home.

“And I would like to meet Sophie’s parents before the party,” Jack added.

“Indeed,” Ianto agreed. “Now don’t pout, sweetness. I’m sure it’ll be okay, but your dad and I want to make sure you’ll be okay. We don’t want anything to happen to you because we love you so much.”

Meghan hugged Ianto. “Can I say hello to your twins now?”

“Of course,” Ianto replied putting her down and watching as she went over to the other men. While Jack took Franklin to get washed up, their visitors gave attention to Meghan.

OoOoOoO

It was two days later before there was an alert to the other Gwen’s appearance. It was in the evening, and the spike alert went to the laptop connected to the Hub. Ianto left Jack with the children and headed over to the St. David’s hotel, where Captain Jack was waiting by the time Ianto arrived. Owen had already gone ahead to Factory Wood. Jack’s double was now dressed in borrowed clothes from Jack, blending in better than he would in his normal style. He was wearing one of Jack’s black shirts, with black chinos, along with a pair of blue braces. He wore his own greatcoat. The only difference between the Captain and Ianto’s own Jack were the lack of an undershirt under the shirt and the black boots, the upper part of the boots hidden beneath the pant legs, instead of the pants tucked into the boots, which was the other man’s usual style.

As Ianto drove the SUV toward the location, he shook his head. “Bloody great. No CCTV available there.”

“I was afraid of that, especially after having encountering your Gwen. She’s knows someone is onto her now, so she found a location free of being observed,” Captain Jack explained.

“Seems like it. We’re never going to find her now if we can’t get to her in time.” Ianto slapped the wheel and stepped on the gas. “Hang on.”

“We can hope that she won’t do a quick in and out,” Captain Jack said. “Besides, we’re tracking her and now we can also get her coordinates.”

“True,” Ianto admitted. He spent the rest of the ride realising he did not want the two men who looked like him and Jack to leave so soon, which they would do if they had coordinates to follow the wayward woman. He really did not think of them so much as doubles, but as good friends. Friends who opened both his and Jack’s eyes, which lead to the family life he had with Jack.

**“Ianto, I’m here,”** Owen’s voice came over Ianto’s comm. **“Go down along the industrial area. Where’s your location?”**

“Just about to exit the A4232,” Ianto replied. “Don’t do anything until we get there. Just observe, unless things are about to get out of hand. If you have to move, go for Gwen.”

**“Got it, Ianto,”** Owen’s replied.

Ianto sped the SUV along Leckwith Road and into the industrial area. Ahead of him, he saw Owen’s car pulled over to the side. Further ahead of them were a group of Blowfish.

**“And we have another spike,”** Jack’s voice came over the comm. **“Looks like an exit one.”**

**“Confirmed,”** Toshiko replied over the comm.

“Well, she’s gone, but we still have unsuspecting Blowfish,” Ianto announced. “How many do we see?”

**“Three,”** Owen replied. **“They seem to be going into the woods.”**

“She must have left them something,” Captain Jack said as Ianto slowed the SUV down near Owen’s car.

“Let’s see what they’re up to,” Ianto said to his companion. “Three of them, three of us. We’ll take them in for questioning.”

**“Ianto, let me know if there’s any merchandise and if you need back up in getting it back to the Hub,”** Jack said through the comm.

“Got it, Jack. I will. I’m thinking we’re going to call in the troops to the Hub.”

**“I don’t want the kids in the Hub with the Blowfish, so I’ll work it out. I’ll see you at the Hub.”**

“Right. Well, we’re moving in now,” Ianto said.

Ianto and Captain Jack got out of the car, and stayed close to the shadows as they made their way toward Owen, who also got out of his car. The Blowfish were in the wooded area. Ianto and Captain Jack came up to Owen.

“I saw where they went in,” Owen said low.

“Should we go in after them?” Captain Jack asked.

“I think we surround them,” Owen suggested. “One of us stays out here waiting, while the other two go in and try to get behind them.”

“That would mean those two need to make sure they don’t alert the Blowfish to them. It could be tricky. We’ll have to go through the wooded area,” Ianto said.

“True,” Owen agreed.

“But worth it, rather than them facing the three of us head on,” Captain Jack added.

“How about just one of us try to get behind them? That would be less of a chance of someone giving away their location,” Ianto suggested.

The other two men nodded in agreement. “So who goes in?” Owen asked.

“I’ll go,” Ianto said.

Owen snorted with amusement. “You do have the knack of sneaking up, Tea Boy.”

“We’ll take positions on each side of where they entered,” Owen said to Captain Jack.

Captain Jack looked at Ianto. “At the first sign of trouble, you’ll contact us, yeah?”

“Yeah.”

The man who looked exactly like Ianto’s husband placed a hand on his shoulder. “Nothing better happen to you, Ianto Jones. You still have two more children to bring into this world. Not counting the one Jack is currently carrying.”

Ianto’s eyes went wide. “Two more!” He shook his head. “I never thought of that.” He gave the other man a small smile. “I’ll be careful. I don’t intend to do that to Jack, especially when he’s not around to use his lifeforce. Now, you be careful too. I’m not going back to tell my double that you got yourself killed.” Ianto’s head turned to look at Owen. “The same for you. Tosh can be scary and I definitely don’t want to tell her bad news.”

“I’m married to the woman, believe me, I know how scary she can be,” Owen said. “If I get myself killed, she’d probably find a way to bring me back just to kill me.”

“Sounds like our Tosh too,” Captain Jack said.

“Right. Time to move out,” Ianto said. “Leave your comms on.”

Captain Jack gave Ianto a jaunty salute while grinning. Ianto watched as they made their way along the gravel lot of the car junkyard, keeping close to the vehicles. Ianto glanced around and noticed an opening through the shrubs and trees that looked like a trail. He vaguely remembered the area from a couple of years back during another missing involving retrieving alien tech. If he remembered correctly, there was a path leading through the woods in the direction he had to go. It should lead him to another path where the Blowfish were. He figured they had to use the path leading out to the lot, or else it would be hard navigating through the overgrowth and trees with whatever the Gwen double left for them.

It was too easy, and Ianto kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, but before they knew it, they had three unconscious Blowfish in the back of the SUV, with Captain Jack in the passenger seat. They headed to the Hub, with Owen following them.

Jack had called in Rhys and Gwen, and after dropping off Meghan and Franklin with Toshiko, he and Black-coat Ianto were on his way to the Hub to meet up with the others.

 

OoOoOoO

Being that they lived further from the Hub than the others and they needed to drop off their children with Toshiko, Gwen and Rhys arrived as Ianto, Owen and Captain Jack came up from the cells. Jack and Black-coat Ianto were already at the Hub and studying the data Toshiko sent over. She was working from home, being designated that night to watch all the children.

Ianto walked across the Hub toward the kitchen from habit and then stopped himself. “I’m going to make tea for us.” He walked past Jack. “You better get over your coffee aversion soon.”

“I know, I know! But would you rather I not be pregnant?” Jack asked defensively.

“Hell no.” Ianto stopped to hug Jack. “Not an option.” He moved away to make the tea.

Jack turned to face the team, smiling.

Gwen rolled her eyes. “Enough, we have work to do.”

“Yes, we do. Owen, take Rhys and Gwen down to the SUV to bring up the stash you bought back,” Jack said.

Gwen groaned, but followed Owen when Rhys took her by her hand and led her away.

“Don’t forget the containers!” Jack called out. He grinned as all three groaned. He looked over to the remaining three. “I suppose you didn’t get any of our prisoners to talk on the way in?”

“Oh they talked,” Ianto called out from the kitchen area, rolling his eyes.

“I wanted to knock them out to shut them up, but did they say anything that would help us?” Captain Jack commented. “Unfortunately not.”

“We do have a pretty good idea what they think of Torchwood, however. That was most enlightening,” Ianto said, approaching with a tray, mugs filled with tea.

“Which I could have done without,” Captain Jack said and then sighed.

Black-coat Ianto started to chuckle. He was dressed one of Ianto’s pinstriped three-piece suits, with a dark blue shirt and a striped tie. When Jack and his double stared at him, he explained, “Blowfish grate on my nerves normally.”

“Whose nerves don’t they grate?” Ianto muttered.

Black-coat Ianto grinned. “Exactly, but being pregnant, it would be more grating to me. I’d have probably attempted to rip their heads off to shut them up.”

Jack looked over to Black-coat Ianto. “I would have done the same.” A thoughtful look came to his face.

“Jack, I don’t like that look. And I think I know what you’re thinking, and no!” Ianto warned.

“We can try one Blowfish at a time. Make sure they’re bound up so they can’t do anything. And then Ianto and I here will go in and interrogate them.” Jack grinned devilishly. “Besides, I used to be quite the interrogator back at the Time Agency. I still can be with the right motivation.”

“But now with pregnancy hormones,” Black-coat Ianto said, warming up to the idea, “we should be able to get one of them talking.”

“I’ll have to forbid it,” Captain Jack said, coming to stand at Ianto’s side. “No way.” He folded his arms, glaring at the two pregnant men. “I’m not going to allow either of you to endanger the babies.”

“Why not?” Jack insisted, the look on his face so stubborn, it made Ianto groan. It went beyond anything when Gwen was in his face and telling him how to do his job.

Black-coat Ianto merely arched an eyebrow. “Jack, I love you. You know that, but while we share the responsibilities of running Torchwood together, the bottom line is that I am still your boss.”

Jack turned his head, staring at Ianto. Ianto sighed heavily. “Yes, yes, I know. You’re my boss too.” He rolled his eyes. “And being the other father of the child you’re carrying means nothing right now, I suppose?”

“I’ll be okay, Ianto,” Jack assured. “Especially if you make sure the bindings are secure.” He went over to Ianto, and placed his hands on his shoulders, kissing Ianto’s forehead. “I have no intention of harming the baby. Believe me, Ianto, but sometimes I do have to do my job.”

“Fine,” Captain Jack snapped, “but what makes you both believe this is one of those times.” He glared at his Ianto. “Why don’t you give us a chance first?” He indicated himself and Ianto. “And in case some people forgot,” his eyes shifted to Black-coat Ianto, “I was the go-to person in the Time Agency too. Still am with Torchwood.”

Jack and Black-coat Ianto shared a look, and Jack sighed. “Fine. Go ahead, Ianto, but I’m warning you that if anything happens to you….”

“I need to do my job too, Jack!” Ianto snapped. “Believe me, I have no intention to leave you raising three kids by yourself, but I do have a job to do. And normally you allow me. Unless you get stubborn, like now.” He glared at Jack.

“I know. I’m sorry, Ianto. I just don’t want to lose you. Ever,” Jack said, pulling Ianto into a tight hug. “If I get stupid like this, it’s just because I love you.”

“I love you too, Jack,” Ianto replied, looking up and smiling at Jack. “I want to spend the rest of your life with you, Jack, if we’re lucky. And we won’t have the chance if I get myself killed beyond your ability to bring me back. I’m not going to do that to us, Jack. I won’t do that to our children.”

Jack let out a long heavy sigh, resting his forehead against Ianto’s. “You’re right. I do trust you. I just get scared sometimes.”

“Believe in us, Jack.”

“I do, Ianto. I do.” Jack hugged Ianto tightly again, rubbing his hands up and down his back. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to undermine your ability to do your job.” He pulled back and grinned at Ianto. “Besides, I can’t be doing that to my Second. It wouldn’t do now.”

Ianto stared back at Jack in shock.

They heard someone clapping from across the Hub. “Bravo, Jack. It’s about bloody time you actually named someone,” Owen said as they turned to find Owen, Rhys and Gwen in the Hub. “And I have to agree about Tea Boy there.”

“You do?!?” Gwen gasped in shock, her eyes wide. “How do you figure? Any of us are better qualified than Ianto!”

It got silent in the Hub as everyone stared at Gwen because of her outburst.

“I would interpret that as that she’s better qualified than Ianto,” Owen said with a smirk.

“I led the team while Jack was gone,” Gwen insisted, glaring at Owen.

“You mean all those years ago when you thought you were leading us? You mean when we allowed you to toss all those orders around while in the Hub, while I took lead in the field, and all that organisation was actually Ianto’s doing?” Owen asked. “I agree that back then Ianto was not yet ready to take charge, but he still did at times. He stepped up when we needed him, and kept on stepping up over the past five years. And in case you haven’t noticed, in the last few years, he has been taking the lead more and more, and you know what, Gwen? It feels right. That’s why I’m glad that Jack finally made it official.”

Gwen started to open her mouth, but Jack cut her off. “I made my decision, Gwen, and it’s not up for debate. However, I do appreciate the support.” He nodded at Owen.

“Shagging the boss does not make Ianto a leader!” she exclaimed.

“Gwen!” Rhys yelled. “Show a little respect around here.”

Gwen glared at Rhys and went stomping off to a corner away from the others in the Hub.

“Well,” Black-coat Ianto stated, “that went well.”

Owen snorted. “For Gwen, yeah, that is.”

Jack waved it off. “My decision has nothing to do with Ianto being my partner.”

Rhys nodded in agreement. “We caught the end of that little domestic there,” he said, “and if you ask me, if you made any decisions as Ianto’s partner, it would be to keep him out of the field if only to keep him safe.”

Owen nodded. “Now here’s a smart man. How come we have the smart ones doing the bloody clean up around this place?”

Jack and Ianto started to laugh, the others joining them. The two men turned to their counterparts. “Are you two all right there?” Jack asked.

They nodded. “Yes,” Black-coat Ianto replied. “Jack, you’re right. I understand you, and I’m afraid I was making the same mistakes with my Jack. However, he is more than my Second. He runs Torchwood with me.”

“But he’s been with Torchwood for what? Twenty years?” Ianto asked.

Captain Jack grinned at Ianto. “Give it another five years,” he said and then winked.

Ianto shook his head and chuckled. “It’s not important.”

“No, but look at how much you’ve grown within Torchwood these last five years,” Jack said with a smile. “Now you’re the most qualified to be my Second. I don’t know if it’ll be in another five years, or longer, but one day I do know that you will run Torchwood with me as my equal.” His eyes shifted in Gwen’s direction. “We’ll talk more about this once we wrap up this mission, but I am not changing my mind.”

“Shall I see to one of our guests being ready for interrogation?” Ianto asked.

“Yes. Take Owen and Rhys with you.”

“Rhys?” Gwen gasped. “Jack, no! Not Rhys. He’s supposed to do only admin!”

“Gwen, Rhys has been doing his part more than admin ever since he first found his way down here in the Hub. Now he’s a member of the team. Sorry Gwen, but Rhys has been helping out on missions for years,” Jack said in a no-nonsense tone.

“He took the field more when you were out on maternity leave,” Ianto pointed out.

Owen snorted and took Rhys by the arm. “Come on, Rhys. Let’s go give our Second a hand.” He glared over at Gwen.

Gwen folded her arms as she watched the three men head down to the cells.

“I’ll go help them,” Captain Jack said. “Not that I don’t trust them, but I’ll feel better knowing the bindings are secure.” He gave Jack an apologetic smile and started to rush after the three.

“Well, if he’s going, then Rhys doesn’t,” Gwen complained.

Jack spun on his heel and with a glare stomped up to Gwen. “I am really getting tired of you undermining me, Gwen. I’m in charge here, not you. It’s time you start acting like it.”

“But Jack… Ianto as your Second? You can’t be serious.”

“You’re doing it again, and I am serious. Apparently Owen is in agreement about Ianto, and he does have seniority over you. So does Tosh, and I’m certain she’ll agree too.”

Gwen frowned. “You already discussed it,” she accused. “Without me.”

Jack nodded. “Without Ianto either. You know as this pregnancy progresses, I’ll be spending less time here. And I refuse to deal with the crap from the last two times, with you in a constant power struggle with those who were part of Torchwood longer.”

“But I can do it, Jack.”

“You obviously can do your job or else you wouldn’t be here, however as time went on, you have proved that you are not the obvious one with the ability to lead. Now if you want to continue this discussion, I might be tempted to do something about you not being here. I’m not in the mood, Gwen. Just be thankful that we don’t think you went against us.” She started to open her mouth. “No more argument. I made my decision!”

“Fine!” Gwen fumed. “Well, since I obviously can’t do anything around here, I’m out of here for a while.”

“Make yourself useful then and find something for us to eat,” Jack said. “I think I’m getting hungry.”

Gwen turned to gawk at Jack. “At this time of the night?” she finally asked.

“Ianto would be on the phone right now,” Jack commented offhandedly.

“Because he’s the coffee boy, it’s his job.”

“It’s Rhys’s job now,” Jack growled. “Besides, it’s all our job to secure food at times. If I can do it, you can.”

“Whatever. Fine. I’ll be back whenever I find something.” Gwen grabbed her coat and bag from her workstation and stormed out.

“Wow,” Jack heard over his Bluetooth. He grinned as Toshiko continued, “remind me not to piss you off during this pregnancy.”

Jack chuckled. “Yeah, I think it gets worse with each pregnancy.” He looked over to Black-coat Ianto, who had taken a seat on the couch and looked amused. “And to think it looks like I’ll be going through this two more times.”

Black-coat Ianto smirked. “Perhaps,” he said. “Only time will tell.” He smirked again.

“What?” Jack asked, walking across the Hub. He dropped on the couch next to the other man.

“Nothing,” he said in a tone that warned Jack it was something but he would find out later.

Jack sighed and leaned back and closed his eyes. “Are we really up for this? Now that I have a chance to sit down, I’m realising how tired I am, and how badly I’m wanting to be in bed now.”

“You spent quite a bit of energy on that one,” Black-coat Ianto commented. “Was she always like this?”

“Usually not as bad, but she has her moments,” Jack said. “It never made sense to me. One minute she’s acting like she wants me, and the next she’s telling me how heartless I am or questioning everything I do. All the while she’s constantly reminding us about how much she loves Rhys and that she’s a married woman with children. Which was really annoying back when she rubbed it in our faces back when she was the only one in a relationship, but she tends to forget she’s the only one. However, bottom line is she is a married woman, and most of the time I do believe she loves Rhys.”

“And the other times?” Black-coat Ianto asked.

“That she wants me, and seems to forget that I’m not only with Ianto, but so not interested.” Jack shrugged.

“Why do you keep her on so long?” Black-coat Ianto needed to know.

Jack shook his head. “I picked her,” he replied. “I had to trust my decision to ask her to join. I guess at the time, I kinda had a thing for her. I never intended it to lead anywhere. Just harmless flirting and able to look at her. Ianto and I weren’t really together, I considered myself free.” He shook his head. “If I knew then what I know now.”

Black-coat Ianto chuckled. “I’ll bet you never intended things with Ianto to lead where they had either?”

“Ianto is different. We overcame so much. It would have torn other people apart, but it made us closer. He understood me. He saw me as I really am, and accepted me, faults and all. I guess I returned the favour, and that’s why we fell in love.”

“Ianto is Torchwood,” Black-coat Ianto stated. “And it has nothing to do with his being my double. I saw it when you were our guests. Gwen, she wants the excitement, the action. She wants to be a hero and frankly, that scares me. With Ianto, he does what he does because he has to, he can’t turn his back on it and that’s what pushes him. The glory doesn’t mean anything to him. To Gwen, it’s everything, and that’s what makes her dangerous. Tosh and Owen are like Ianto.” He indicated Jack’s clothes. “And yes, you have the swagger and walk around like a living legend, but we both are aware it’s to hide the insecurity. Or it once was until it became a part of you. It’s you, but you also do what you do because you don’t have a choice and if you never got any glory from it, that’s fine with you.”

Jack nodded. “True.” He sighed. “She’s in one of her worse moods right now because she was accused of being a traitor, and we came damn close to believing it. I’m thinking after this, letting her have a few days off to simmer down.”

“You really shouldn’t have allowed her to get away with everything for so long.”

“Yes, I know. I’m sorry it did, but it’s finally getting to the point of shut up or get out.” He shrugged. “I guess I let it go because I believed back then that she would keep us grounded. Instead, there were times when she insulted us all. I know she hurt my feelings enough times, but not as much as she’s doing now.”

“She still thinks she wants you,” Black-coat Ianto said quietly. “I see the way she looks at you sometimes, she’s waiting. I feel sorry for Rhys. He’s a good bloke. Our Rhys doesn’t have to deal with this rubbish with Christina. She’s good for him. She deserves him.”

“She wants the hero, not me. She doesn’t understand me, she never tried.”

“Which is why she never stood a chance and Ianto became the man you will hopefully spend the rest of your life with, as he said earlier.”

“Exactly.”

“She also wants the glory of pushing your people around,” Black-coat Ianto stated. “I’m not saying she doesn’t care, because I can see that she does. She just needs a bit of an attitude adjustment.”

“I know. It’s going to change, especially now that I finally officially named a Second. I did want it to be Ianto, but I had to make sure he was ready. These last few days convinced me he was, and just in time. As I said before, I am not going to go through another pregnancy without a designated Second.” He sat up and rested his elbows on his knees. “I end up going through separation anxiety for the first few months after birth. I don’t expect this to be any different.”

Black-coat Ianto looked thoughtful. “How far along are you?”

“Thirteen weeks,” Jack replied. “Why?”

Before the other man was able to reply, Rhys came up into the Hub. “Ianto said they’re ready for you.” He looked around the Hub. “Where’s Gwen?” he asked.

“Hopefully getting some food,” Jack replied.

“Right. I’ll try to find her, and while I’m out, will kabobs do?”

“Yes,” both pregnant men replied in unison.

Jack laughed. “I never went through this with another pregnant man,” he said. “At least not during this time period. Well, shall we get this over with?”

“Yes,” Black-coat Ianto replied.

“Good luck with Gwen, Rhys, and I want my usual. Get the same for our two guests, they’ll like it.”

“Sure Jack. Be careful, the two of you.”

“We will. We have food to look forward to,” Black-coat Ianto remarked as they walked to the stairs leading down to the cells.

OoOoOoO

It took several hours, but Jack and Black-coat Ianto finally wore one of the Blowfish down and he started talking. He told them about how Gwen had contacted them, and at first they didn’t trust her because they knew she was Torchwood. They originally believed she thought them stupid enough to believe her claims of not knowing anything about Torchwood, except that she felt they were over bloated dictators and managed to keep that knowledge from the public. It was after she showed up with some devices, with promises of many more, that they decided that she must have had enough of Torchwood. The Blowfish thought that they could sell them within their community, to be free to go back and forth between their own world, and others, instead of being stuck on Earth, so they made a deal with her. That night she was to deliver the first of two shipments, and she should be contacting them within the next few days for payment for the second delivery.

The Blowfish spit on Black-coat Ianto’s boot, exclaiming they should have known it was a Torchwood trick.

Black-coat Ianto was not happy about his boot. Jack decided they were going to keep the Blowfish in the cells until they wrapped things up with the alternate world Gwen. Then they would consider what to do with their guests.

Both men looked exhausted and Ianto put his foot down, insisting that if they had at least a couple of days before the other Gwen would attempt to make contact, then everyone could go home and get some sleep. It was almost going on dawn, so Gwen and Rhys stopped first at the Harper’s house to pick up Evan and Tamwen. Not too long after they left, Jack and Ianto arrived, having dropped off their guests at the St. David, to collect their children. Unlike Gwen and Rhys, who had a longer ride to their house, Jack and Ianto had to continue the short way down Windsor Esplanade to the end, where their building was.

Jack went right to sleep, barely getting out of his clothes, while Ianto settled Meghan and Franklin in their beds. Like Jack, the children fell back asleep immediately. Ianto opted for a quick shower before he crawled onto his side of the bed. Spooning along Jack, with his arms around the sleeping man, it did not take long before Ianto also fell asleep. He did not set the alarm, deciding Jack needed to sleep as long as he could.

Normally Jack did not require much sleep, but since they started to live together, Jack slept longer than a few hours, but was still able to go for days before he needed to sleep. It all changed when Jack was pregnant. He tired quicker, slept longer at night and took naps during the day when he was able to. Being up all night after a full day of work and having to interrogate the Blowfish took a lot out Jack. Meanwhile, tired as he was, Ianto knew his internal clock would have him up in time to get Meghan ready to take her to school and call Rhiannon to let her know that they were going to keep Franklin until later in the day. If nothing else was going on, he planned on going back to sleep for a few more hours. That plan would only work as long as there were no Rift alerts until they were ready to go into the Hub, and if Franklin slept in, which he was likely to do.

Ianto’s plan almost worked. He did get back to bed after getting Meghan to school, and Franklin was still snugged against Jack, both of them still asleep, but a little over an hour later he was pulled out of bed because of a Rift alert. Being it was in Penarth, Ianto and Owen ended up going, Ianto picking up Owen on the way up Windsor Esplanade.

They ended up retrieving a miniature sonic cannon in Alexandra Park not far from Penarth Pier. With the cannon safe in a containment box, Ianto pulled the SUV along The Glades, where he had parked the vehicle because it was closest to where the location Toshiko provided them with. Moving at a more sedate pace, Owen and Ianto were discussing looking in on the temporary residents in the cells when they got to the Hub, and Toshiko’s way of monitoring them. Jack had called in while they were on their way to the site, stating it was good everyone got as much rest as possible, because there were going to be long hours ahead until the other Gwen made a call. He did discuss the possibility of taking shifts, but it still would be long and frustrating for everyone on the team. Ianto was hoping that when it was over, the Rift predictor would foresee a few quiet days because they all would need the break.

Approaching Bridgeman Road, where Ianto needed to make a turn and head back to Beach Road, he noticed a large brick Victorian home ahead of him, behind a stone wall and an ornate iron gates. The building looked abandoned and he noticed the estate agent sign. As he paused at the intersection, he committed the name of the agent to memory. By the time they reached the Hub, he still had his mind on the house. From the outside it looked like it needed some work, and he could only imagine what the inside looked like. The boarded-up windows should be a warning to stay away, but the overall structure of the house appealed to Ianto. He also like the privacy the stone wall and gates afforded and it seemed there was a nice lot of land around the house. He decided he would call the estate agent and request a viewing. The worse that could happen was the house would need too much work and they would keep looking. It was located in one of the areas they were considering. They would be further from the Hub, but the idea behind purchasing a house would be a place to forget about Torchwood after hours, unless they were called out. Living near the water appealed to both Jack and Ianto, and this house was a short walk down Bridgeman Road to The Esplanade with the Penarth Pier right there.

Owen checked on the Blowfish, while Ianto set about feeding the residents kept in the Hub. Once the two finished their chores, they settled down for the start of the first watch. The paging device that had been confiscated from the Blowfish was sitting on Jack’s desk, where Ianto sat while working on paperwork. Jack had called in and together they worked out shifts for the team, including their doubles, until the mission was over. They managed to limit the number of nights each child would end up not sleeping in their own beds. As much as all the children enjoyed the slumber parties as they were called, as it sounded better than their parents dumping them in favour of work, Jack had always preferred it was not often, and they managed to have at least one parent at home for the nights.

Ianto also mentioned the house, and while Jack sounded a bit wary, he agreed to look at it once this was over. During the afternoon, Ianto managed to get the number for the estate agent and made an appointment for a viewing in two days. The agent did warn him that the house needed work, but it was structurally sound.

The others came in for the afternoon, and they sat down to discuss the rota Jack and Ianto had worked out. Toshiko and Rhys had the first shift that night. There was a Weevil alert, which Owen, Ianto and Captain Jack went out for. Not long after they returned everyone but Toshiko and Rhys left for the night.

 


	6. Two Worlds, One Crime - Part 6

 

Continued from [Part Five](http://totally4ryo.livejournal.com/184360.html#cutid1)

 

 

 

Jack stood outside the stone wall, looking over at the boarded-up house. “Well, it’s big,” he commented neutrally. Ianto had been talking about this house for the last two days, and even though they had looked at a few houses over the time, including one in Penarth, he knew Ianto was comparing them to this house. Jack was not too sure, when there were perfectly beautiful houses that needed little or no work on them, but he had to admit that none of them were the perfect house. Not that this one was either. In fact, the more Jack looked at it, the more it was far from perfect. The only thing it did was make him realize that they needed to look at more Victorian style houses, something they did not see yet.

Ianto frowned as he looked away from the house to face Jack. “You don’t like it,” he stated flatly.

“Well….” Jack looked around the area. “It’s in a good location. I like the stone wall around it. Looks like lots of land. And whatever room in that tower there looks like it has a nice view of the pier.”

“You don’t like it,” Ianto repeated.

“It just looks like it needs a lot of work.” Jack sighed. “I don’t know if we have enough time to get something that needs this much work into shape. Ianto, we need to move in by the time this baby is born.”

“I thought we had some leeway until Samantha is ready to move into the nursery?” Ianto asked.

Jack opened his mouth but shut it again as a Volvo pulled up to the iron gate. The two men watched as the driver’s door opened and a man in an expensive designer double-breasted suit got out. He grinned at them over the car before opening the back door. He took out three hard hats and walked around the car to join Jack and Ianto.

With a grin that gave Jack’s best a challenge, he held out his hand. “Marcus Adina,” he introduced himself. “You must be Jack and Ianto Harkness-Jones.”

Jack took the offered hand and tried to match the grin. “Jack Harkness-Jones and this is my partner, Ianto Harkness-Jones. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasure’s all mine.” Marcus turned to Ianto, who shook his hand. “We spoke on the phone, Ianto. I can call you Ianto, can I?”

Ianto barely resisted rolling his eyes. “I believe we already settled that over the phone. It would get confusing otherwise.”

The man was all flash and charm like the other estate agents they met, but he knew this agency had their very best agent showing this house. Ianto was hoping the inside was indeed not as bad as it might seem from the outside.

“This is a lovely property,” Marcus started. “Unfortunately due to negligent ownership who left the area but did not want to let go of the house, it fell into some ill-repair. Nothing that cannot be fixed. The structure is sound. Some of the windows are gone, but not all. They were boarded up to prevent squatters from getting in. Hard hats are required only for insurance purposes. Shall we, gentlemen?” He handed Jack and Ianto the hats and put on his own.

As they followed Marcus along the cracked driveway walk, Jack asked, “What made the owner finally sell? And after how many years?”

“Seven years,” Marcus replied. “The owner gave up on moving back. He’s a pensioner now, and needs help from his daughter. His daughter has her own family in Conwy and none of her family wants to leave the area. As the owner cannot get along on his own, he finally faced facts and decided to sell.” Marcus stopped before the front door. It looked weather worn and abused, but it was a solid, sturdy door. He looked back to them. “I think you would like the going price.” He turned to the door and placed the key in the keyhole. As he opened the door, he added, “I think the overall structure will impress you. You’ll have a clean slate to make this truly your home. You said you had children. This house has lots of room inside, and plenty of land. It’s perfect for a family.”

Ianto looked around the entry, and took notice of the stairs.

Jack was also looking at the walls. He had to admit that so far he did not see any cracks and an attempt to clean the walls had been made. He could see where the wall covering had been taken down. He looked at the stairs. As he indicated them, he asked, “Is it safe to see the first floor?”

“Yes, of course. The stairs were reinforced during the clean-up. I’ll admit it’s far from squeaky clean but considering the going price, you would understand,” Marcus replied.

Ianto looked around, feeling his heart sinking. It was not as bad as he expected, but it was not looking good either. Especially if he went by the look on Jack’s face.

“Shall we see the ground floor first, and then we can go up to the first floor?”

Ianto nodded and slipped his arm through Jack’s. “Come on, Jack. We’re here. Might as well get this over with.” He feared that not only would Jack not find interest in the house, but that he would lose interest. For some reason, he really wanted them to get the house. The location was great, there was lots of land. He liked the architecture of the house from the outside. It was not a long drive to the Hub and did not take too many different turns to get to it. Even with all that, standing inside the entry to the house, Ianto was starting to feel that this was far from the perfect house, and Jack would not want to get it.

Jack nodded and reluctantly followed Marcus into the family room. Much to both men’s surprise, by the time they were done viewing the ground floor, Ianto had a list on his phone of what they would like to do in each room, and Jack really opened up once they entered the breakfast nook in one of the towers. They continued their way up to the first floor where 4 of the five bedrooms were. The final selling point for them was the master bedroom. The tower that overlooked the pier, and from what Marcus told them, also the channel, was a sitting room for the master bedroom.

Marcus went to wait on the balcony while they talked. Jack went into the octagonal sitting room, staring at the boarded windows. “I really want to see out those windows.”

“I imagine it could be spectacular,” Ianto said.

Jack indicated where he stood. “Ianto, I don’t think we need to use one of the other rooms for a nursery. I think this would be perfect right here. We can put up doors, for some privacy, but I can imagine sitting in this room in the middle of the night, feeding Samantha and gazing out to the channel.”

Ianto looked around. “You know, that would work. And then once she’s old enough to move out of the crib, she’ll have one of the other bedrooms.”

Jack nodded. “And we can store the nursery furniture and redecorate the area however we want, until the next one.”

Ianto arched an eyebrow.

Jack grinned. “There’s Jesse, and now the one your double is carrying,” he said. “I’m not saying we have to follow them completely, but we have that option, yeah?”

“I guess so.” Ianto walked out of the nook and through the bedroom into the en suite, which included a massive walk-in closet past the two basins. He stared at the very corner of the main bathroom. “Did Marcus say that was supposed to be a sauna?”

Jack grinned. “Yes. And as we need to do renovations….”

Ianto turned to the opposite wall from the would-be sauna and bathtub to the shower stall. “Do we want a separate shower?” he asked.

Jack came up from behind Ianto and slipped his arms around his spouse’s waist. “Yes,” he softly said, lips near Ianto’s ear, causing the younger man to shiver.

Ianto turned in Jack’s arms, reciprocating the hug. “So you really do like it?” he asked.

“I admit I had my doubts, but Marcus is right. It’s an empty slate. We don’t have to work around anything except the shape of the rooms, which I love. I love the entire layout of this house. I think the kids will love it.” Jack looked around. “While I was still not sure about the house, I did point out what I did like.”

“And now you like the house?”

“Now I love the house.” Jack kissed Ianto briefly. Jack rested his forehead against Ianto’s. “Ianto,” he said with a huge grin, “it’s perfect.”

Ianto’s smile matched Jack’s, his eyes sparking. “It is perfect. I’m so happy you think so too.”

“We can turn this into our dream home, Ianto. In fact, I’m all for installing an entirely new kitchen instead of fixing up what’s there.”

“I like that idea. You’ll have more say however, since you’re the chef,” Ianto agreed before kissing Jack. “I’m so happy, Jack.”

“So am I,” Jack agreed. He pulled away, taking the younger man’s hand in his and led him though the area where the basins were and into the massive walk in closet. “You’re going to need more suits to fill this up,” he said with a laugh.

Ianto chuckled. “You got yourself a somewhat bigger wardrobe since Meghan was born.”

“I think we’ll fit and still have room for more.”

“I’m designing this room,” Ianto said with a smirk.

“No doubt.”

“Well, shall we talk about paperwork and payment?” Ianto asked.

“And then you’ll be tasked with finding a renovation team.”

“We need more than that,” Ianto laughed. “But we should first work out what we want better and then I’ll get on it, hiring people to make our visions into our perfect home. Once we have the house.”

“The first thing I want done is windows,” Jack said as they left the en suite.

Ianto laughed. Marcus turned when he heard them enter the balcony.

“It sounds like you’re going to make an offer,” the estate agent said with a grin.

Jack squeezed Ianto’s hand. “We are.”

“I do feel bad,” Ianto said. “We did promise Meghan and Franklin they could see any houses we are interested in, but I don’t dare let them see it like this.”

“Oh yeah. Umm… how about once we get it at least cleaned up and windows put in,” Jack stated.

They followed Marcus down the stairs and made arrangements to meet back at the estate agent’s office to start the paperwork.

OoOoOoO

Jack and Ianto were on the A4232, their building in view, and Ianto was steering the car into the far left lane to exit for Techniquest and Mermaid Quay. His intention was when he reached it, to go along the roundabout so he could go down Dudley Street which turned into Windsor Terrace and around the bend came Window Esplanade. His mind was on something simple for dinner. Jack was looking tired. It was a long day, and he had managed to tackle a pile of paperwork, putting in almost a full day. They left a couple of hours earlier than the rest of the team to view the house. They ended up at the estate agent’s for a while getting the paperwork going. They were assured the sale would go through quickly because Jack mentioned paying by cashier’s cheque for the full amount. By the time they were ready to head home, Jack was hungry and tired. Ianto suggested they stop to eat, but Jack wanted to be home. It was almost bedtime for the kids, and they still had to pick them up from Tosh and Owen so they were heading home. While Jack rested up, Ianto was going to make a quick and easy dinner for them.

He was approaching the roundabout when Jack’s mobile rang. Ianto listened to the tense conversation Jack had with Gwen, who was on duty that night along with Rhys. As Jack closed the call, he looked at Ianto. “She made contact. We need to swing around to pick up Owen. Tosh is going to call Rhi and see if she can take all the kids for the night, because I get the feeling that we’re all going to have a long night. ”

Ianto frowned. “I’m sorry, Jack. I know you’re tired.”

Jack sighed. “I just want this over with soon. And then hopefully we can concentrate on how we want our house to look.” He started to dial his mobile. He looked over at Ianto. “I’m calling in our doubles, because this is their case more than ours.”

Ianto nodded and continued on his way until they got to Owen’s. The medic was standing outside his house when they arrived.

“Tosh spoke to your sister,” Owen said as he slid into the backseat of Ianto’s car. “Rhi’s on her way. She said she’ll probably take the children to your place, since it’s bigger. Then Tosh will be on her way in.”

“Probably for the best. I’m not sure if it’s going to be a long night or not,” Jack said as Ianto drove the car toward the Hub.

“If we have any type of wait period, I want you to rest on the couch in your office,” Ianto said. Glancing in the rear view mirror at Owen, he added, “Jack was looking forward to relaxing on the couch and an early night.”

“Until that damn Cooper from the other universe decided to finally contact the Blowfish,” Jack muttered.

“Well Ianto’s right, Jack. You let us do the work and you command us from your couch,” Owen insisted.

“I hate commanding from the couch,” Jack growled.

“Would you rather not be pregnant?” Ianto asked.

“Oh hell no. Point taken,” Jack conceded.

OoOoOoO

When Jack, Ianto and Owen arrived at the Hub, Black-coat Ianto and Captain Jack had just arrived minutes before, once again wearing borrowed clothes from Jack and Ianto. Rhys was standing near the couch and looking annoyed, while Gwen greeted everyone cheerfully.

“Gwen, the device please?” Jack asked, as he came up to Gwen.

Rhys snorted and shook his head. He folded his arms, and with a grim set of his mouth, he stared at Gwen and Jack.

Noticing the other Welshman’s reactions, Ianto came over to Rhys. “What’s going on?” he asked.

“I have nothing to do with what she did. I told her to wait until Jack arrived, but she didn’t listen,” Rhys replied. Mimicking his wife, he added, “Rhys, I can’t let it wait. We can’t take the chance that she knows someone is onto her.”

Ianto arched an eyebrow as Jack’s voice rose. “You did what?” he demanded to Gwen.

“I figured it would take too long for you to arrive here, and did not want any delay in her getting a reply,” Gwen replied.

Ianto squeezed Rhys’s shoulder and went over to join Owen, Captain Jack and Black-coat Ianto, who stood not far from Jack and Gwen.

Jack looked over at the group of men, his face screwed up in disbelief. Heads shook, and Black-coat Ianto indicated Jack to carry on. His attention went back to Gwen. “Where is the paging device?” he asked.

“With the Blowfish,” Gwen remarked. “He started to get belligerent and I had no choice but to close the cell door on him. I didn’t dare go in to get it.”

Ianto clenched his jaw.

Jack’s eyes went wide at first and then narrowed. “I don’t believe you!” he snarled. “Do you know what you might have done?”

Ianto indicated to Owen to join him as he started toward the cells, taking out his gun. Owen was immediately at his side, also with his gun out. Rhys pushed himself off the wall and although he did not have a gun with him, he followed the two men.

Captain Jack started to head over to join them, but Black-coat Ianto stopped him with a touch to his arm. “Let them go,” the immortal Ianto stated. “There’s enough to handle the situation. We need to know what the damage is.”

Captain Jack nodded his head. Together they walked over to Gwen and Jack, who were having words with each other. Before they reached the two, Gwen stormed off in a huff toward the co-wheel door. Over her shoulder, she yelled out, “I’ll be in reception until everyone starts thinking”

“How about you staying up there until you start thinking,” Jack called out.

Gwen glared at him, then turned on her heel and left.

OoOoOoO

Ianto, Owen and Rhys made their way down the cells. Upon seeing one of the Blowfish with the device, Ianto opened the door and aimed his gun. “Throw the pager out,” he demanded.

“Now why would I do that? I only did what I was asked. I merely replied to the message,” the Blowfish sneered.

“And what did you say?”

The Blowfish licked his lips and smirked. “I most certainly will not go down alone. After all, it is the female that looks like the bleeding heart who approached us first. If she did not come to us, we would not be here.”

“You didn’t have to take up her offer,” Owen suggested.

“Ah, and pass up a most lucrative offer? Would you? Oh, don’t deny you wouldn’t. Everyone has their price.” The Blowfish smiled smugly at them.

“I’m telling you one more time, toss the pager out,” Ianto calmly demanded.

“If the pager goes, then I go.”

“What about your friends? Should they go too?” Rhys asked, looking annoyed.

“Business associates,” the Blowfish replied. “What happens to them is not of my concern.”

“Nice,” Owen commented. “That’s real touching.”

“We’re not soft like you,” the Blowfish stated.

“I’ll tell you one thing that’s soft on you,” Ianto commented. “Now, pager?”

“Come and get it,” the Blowfish replied.

“Fine.” Ianto pulled the trigger and shot the Blowfish between his eyes.

As the Blowfish fell to the ground, Rhys rushed in while Ianto and Owen covered with their guns. Once Rhys left the cell, pager in hand, Ianto closed the cell door.

“Sorted,” Ianto stated. Owen and Rhys nodded in agreement.

“He’s dead,” Rhys said.

“I’d like to autopsy this one,” Owen said. “Despite our troubles with this kind, we hardly get bodies that I can cut up.”

Ianto nodded. “Just don’t order sushi for the next few days,” he quipped to Rhys.

Rhys made a face. “I’m the one to clean up this mess. I won’t even want fish and chips for the next week at least.”

Ianto and Owen laughed.

“Well, let’s go see what mess Gwen made that we need to clean up,” Owen said.

Ianto looked down at the pager. “Bloody hell,” he swore. “Not that I was really expecting anything else.”

“How bad?” Owen asked.

Ianto tossed the pager to Owen and then rushed ahead going back to the main area of the Hub.

“Fuck,” Owen swore and ran after Ianto, Rhys right behind him.

OoOoOoO

As they came up from the cells, Ianto looked around the Hub. Tosh had arrived, and was at her workstation. Jack was conferring with their two guests. When Jack noticed the group arrive, he looked at them. “Rhys!” he called out. “A word please.”

Rhys went across the Hub, with Ianto behind him, heading toward the other three men. Owen went over to Tosh’s workstation, handing her the pager.

“Yes Jack,” Rhys said, stopping before the Captain.

“Did you try to stop Gwen from giving the pager to the Blowfish?” Jack asked.

“I did, but I was told she was in charge, and I was just the cleaning man,” Rhys replied. He glared at Jack. “If she made it sound like I helped, so help me, I’m going to have it out with that bloody woman!”

“She didn’t say anything. I didn’t ask her. I had enough of her reasoning on why she gave it to him,” Jack replied.

Rhys snorted. “She said she didn’t want to risk her counterpart finding out that we knew, so she told the Blowfish what to say.”

“If there was actual voice communication on that device, rather than it being a hyped up text messaging device,” Jack growled. “Rhys, I’m sorry, but you’ll have to get behind me giving her a bollocking she’ll never forget.”

Rhys raised his hands and stepped back. “Have a go,” he commented.

“Your wife is up in reception, having a fit,” Jack said to Rhys. “I’m sorry. It’s probably going to be a bit of a mess up there when she’s done. So what was really said to the other Gwen?” Jack asked.

Ianto bit his lip. Owen grimaced.

“That they were being held prisoners by Torchwood and they allowed the location to be transmitted,” Tosh replied, standing up from her workstation.

“I guess they were hoping she would rescue them,” Owen said.

“What...are they stupid?” Jack asked.

No sooner did he finish speaking did the alarms go off and the lights dimmed.

“Intruder!” Tosh exclaimed, quickly typing away on one of her keyboards. The lights came back on.

“Nice place. I could do well here. I can only imagine what you have in here,” a familiar voice said.

Everyone turned to the voice, Ianto and Owen pulling out their guns. An exact duplicate to Gwen Cooper stood near the water tower, dressed in a black leather corset and black linen pants. She had a large rifle that looked like it came from the other universe by its steampunk style. It might have looked like a cheap toy, but they all knew looks can be deceiving, and it was most likely quite deadly.

“Lockdown!” Jack ordered.

Ianto ran to initiate the lockdown as the other Gwen started to speak.

“Do you think that’s going to stop me from getting out? I’m able to come and go as I please,” the other Gwen stated, her lips curled in a sneer.

Toshiko looked back to Jack, who had out his Webley.

The other Gwen spared a hand to touch a device on her belt. “I’ll be back. And when you’re all gone, I’ll have this place for my operations.” She gave them a wide, gap-toothed grin. “Tah all.” She pressed a button.

She disappeared for a nanosecond, before she appeared again, but in a different location. She found herself behind Ianto. With a roar of rage, she yelled out. “Then the dying starts now.” She aimed the gun at Ianto’s back and started to pull the trigger.

Ianto started to turn around, lifting his gun, but it was obvious he would be too late.

Jack raised his gun, but Ianto was blocking his shot. “NO!!!!” he cried out.

Captain Jack, who was standing closest to Ianto, jumped to push Ianto out of the way as she pulled the trigger. A bright blue ray emitted from the gun as the mortal Jack pushed Ianto out of the way. He attempted to get out of the way himself, but he cried out as the ray hit him in the back. He shoved Ianto so he was thrown on the floor several feet away in time before he started to glow. He cried out more in pain as the ray expanded and wrapped around him. He fell to the floor, and by the time the ray was gone, he was splayed face down and not moving.

“JACK!” Black-coat Ianto cried out. “NO!!!” He lifted his own gun and started to shoot at the woman still with the gun.

Jack was also pulling the trigger. Owen rushed across the Hub toward Ianto, his gun out.

Ianto managed to still hold onto his gun and was already scrambling onto his feet. “I’m fine, but Jack there isn’t!” he cried out.

At the same time, the other Gwen cried out in pain as one bullet hit her in the upper area of her chest on the right side, and a second shot got her in the groin. A third shot got her on the side of her leg, near her knee. She dropped the gun as she doubled over. Toshiko was there as the woman dropped to her knees, cursing them. Toshiko had her gun in her hand and aimed it at Gwen’s double, as she kicked the rifle away.

Black-coat Ianto ran to his husband, dropping to his knees. “Dear goddesses, no!” he cried. “Jack, c’mon and wake up.”

Owen looked up from checking Jack and gave the anguished immortal man a grim look. “I’m so sorry, Ianto.”

“Jack!” Black-coat Ianto cried, gathering the dead man into his arms. “Jack, please. Don’t do this to me. Please.” He cupped Jack’s finely chiselled chin and bent down, kissing him. He put all he had of his lifeforce into the kiss. The other times, he felt something happening as he gave his mortal spouse the breath of life, but this time he felt nothing. He continued to kiss the dead man until he had to take a gasping breath. “No!” He took a deep gulp of air, and attempted it again.

When he had to come up for air again, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He twisted his head to find immortal Jack kneeling behind him, tears running down his face. “Oh God, Ianto. I’m so damn sorry.”

“It can’t be,” Black-coat Ianto cried in anguish. “He would be back by now if it worked.”

Jack threw his arms around the distraught man and held him tight. Black-coat Ianto cried, managing to grasp the dead Jack’s hand in his.

Ianto stared down in concern, tears in his eyes. Looking at the dead man, he sighed. “Oh Jack. Thank you for saving me, but why did you have to leave your Ianto alone?” His eyes moved to Owen. “I’m worried about him,” he said, indicating Black-coat Ianto, “and about the baby.”

Owen nodded. “I know, but he should also let it out. Bottling would be worse.” Owen sighed. “You and Jack just give him support, while I take the body down to autopsy.”

“Right.” Ianto looked over to find that Toshiko and Rhys had the injured woman covered. “We also have a live patient, and I want to keep her alive long enough to get more answers. My double needs answers too. I know I would if I was in his place. And then we can kill her.”

Owen snorted. “I’ll have to agree. Right then. Make sure this one doesn’t bleed to bloody death all over the Hub first. Then I’ll get to Jack.” He got up and joined Toshiko and Rhys, having them assist him in carrying the now unconscious woman down to autopsy, where he could treat her wounds.

Ianto knelt next to Jack and Black-coat Ianto, putting his arms around the two of them. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m so sorry. It’s because of me.”

Black-coat Ianto pulled away from Jack and shook his head, wiping his eyes with his shirt sleeve. “It wasn’t you. I understand why Jack did it. And he did try to get himself out of the way too. He really did. I saw him. But I was too damn slow in getting to him.”

“And if you did, you might have been hit,” Jack said gently.

“I’m fuckin’ immortal!” Black-coat Ianto exclaimed, as if it was a curse.

“But your baby isn’t,” Ianto reminded him.

“Damn you,” Black-coat Ianto cursed, glaring at Ianto, tears falling down his face. “Why are we always bloody right?” He glared at Ianto for a moment more, before turning back to his Jack. He ran his fingers through the other man’s hair. “We were supposed to have a long life together, Jack. When I met you, being immortal did not seem like a curse anymore. I thought we had a very long time together. Hell, I actually started to believe we had forever.” He started to sob and bent to kiss his husband again, but not as frantically as the first two and without giving him the kiss of life. “Now, I have to live without you. It’s a curse again. Even worse, I’ll have to go back and tell our children. Oh Jack, I don’t want to do that! I can’t do that.” He started to cry again.

Ianto had ended up with his arms around Jack as they listened to the other Ianto talk and try to deal with his loss. Jack was openly crying, and Ianto knew it was more than someone they had come to care for losing his life. Jack was thinking of their own situation. Ianto knew Jack was starting to put a lot of hope in giving Ianto some of his energy through their kisses, believing that there was a chance he would never have to live life without Ianto. For Jack, that dream had just died with his mortal counterpart.

“Jack,” Ianto sighed. “Don’t torture yourself on something that we don’t know when it will happen.”

“I almost lost you tonight,” Jack said, tears streaming down his face. “If he didn’t do what he did, it would have been you there. And that would have been me, having to face our children and tell them that you won’t be coming home anymore.”

“Oh Jack. I’m here. I’m sorry he had to die for it, but I’m here.” He hugged Jack tighter, feeling the other man hold on tight. “We’ll help him deal with his loss and then deal with the other Gwen, so we could send her back with Ianto.”

Jack nodded, but still held onto Ianto. Black-coat Ianto cradled his dead husband in his lap. Ianto rested his head on the immortal Ianto’s shoulder, one hand grasping the other man’s upper arm, while his other hand held onto his Jack’s hand.

When Rhys and Toshiko approached a while later, the four men were still in the same positions. “Owen is ready for….” Toshiko started and then indicated the dead man half on Black-coat Ianto’s lap.

Black-coat Ianto let out a cry and gathered his partner more in his arms, holding him tight and rocking back and forth, sobbing.

Ianto released Jack to put his arms around the upset man. “Ianto, we need to take care of Jack now. We can’t leave him here.”

It took a bit more cajoling, but finally Ianto and Rhys were bending down to lift the dead man. As Ianto got his hands through the shoulders, and Rhys was getting a hold on his legs, they got the shock of their life when the body jerked. Captain Jack gasped loudly, his arms shooting up and grabbing up to Ianto, digging his fingers into Ianto’s arm, hard enough that Ianto knew he would be bruised. It was nothing he was not used to, having to bare that grip from his own Jack coming back to life. At least the bruise would fade before the night was over, based on previous times in the last year.

Black-coat Ianto also gasped, his eyes open wide with shock. Jack, who sat behind the immortal Ianto with his arms around the other man, let out a whoop of joy. “He’s alive!”

“Bloody hell!” Rhys cried out, dropping the just back-to-life man’s feet and jumping back. He pointed down to the other man, who was looking around. “I don’t care how many times this one there does this,” he pointed to Jack, “I’m never going to get used to this!”

Jack started to laugh as Black-coat Ianto bent over his partner and gathered him in his arms. “Oh Jack,” he said and kissed him. Tears of joy ran from his eyes as he felt the previously still lips respond to the kiss. With his lips against his partner’s warm ones, he murmured, “I thought I lost you.”

The other Jack looked up at Ianto, blue eyes confused. “I thought you did too.” He started to move, and Black-coat Ianto helped him sit up. “Ianto, I’m sorry. I couldn’t let her kill Ianto. I really thought I would be able to get us both out of the way.”

“It’s okay, Jack,” Black-coat Ianto said, and laughed. He kissed his Jack again. “It’s fine. You’re alive now. That’s all that matters.”

The other Jack twisted so he could gather his partner in his arms and held him tight. “I am. I’m sorry for scaring you, but it looks like our luck is still with us.” He gently kissed the tears on his partner’s cheeks. “I dare to hope that we have what we’re hoping for.”

Black-coat Ianto placed his hands on each side of his partner’s face. “I think so. If it was the normal way, I would have felt it and you would have come back while I was kissing you.”

“Are you immortal now too?” Rhys asked.

“I’m not sure. Maybe,” Captain Jack replied with a laugh. “I think so.”

“Let’s just not test that anytime soon, yeah?” Black-coat Ianto warned him.

Owen joined them. “I thought I heard something that sounded like good news. Welcome back, sleepyhead.” He shook an admonishing finger at him. “Don’t you dare scare your husband like that again!”

Captain Jack grinned. “I’ll do my best.” He caressed his Ianto’s cheek. “I don’t want to scare him.”

Black-coat Ianto pulled him into his arms again and kissed him hard. When they finally broke apart to catch their breath, Jack cleared his throat. “I hate to break this up, but I still have an intruder in my Hub. One who attempted to kill my husband, and killed someone else’s. Thank goodness, that didn’t stick. But since we’re all alive now, let’s get to the bottom of this.” Jack looked at Ianto. “By the way, what did you do with the Blowfish who Gwen gave the pager?”

“Killed him.” Ianto looked over at Owen, who nodded his head.

“Fine.” Jack looked even more tired than earlier when they were driving home from the estate agent.

“Look, we’re stuck here for several hours,” Ianto said, his eyes on Jack, and also on his double. The emotional rollercoaster he was on could not be of any good to him and he most likely needed as much sleep soon as Jack did.

“I had to sedate the bitch,” Owen said. “She’ll be out for a couple of hours. I can continue to keep her out as long as needed.” He also was looking at the two pregnant men with a practiced eye. “Tosh and I will hold down the fort here, so why doesn’t everyone else go claim a bunk and get some sleep.”

“What about Gwen?” Rhys asked. “I mean, my wife. Who is stuck in reception?”

Jack looked over to Toshiko. “Reception is also in lockdown?” he asked.

“Depends on which lockdown Ianto initiated,” Toshiko replied.

“Full lockdown with power. If she was in there when I locked down, then she is stuck there for a few hours,” Ianto replied.

“At least she’s not in the dark,” Owen quipped. “She’ll be fine. We’ve all dealt with worse.”

“We’ll deal with her when we can then,” Jack replied. “And you know that she can sort out a makeshift bed if she needs,” he added to Rhys.

“If she’s smart, she’ll remember I keep sleeping bags and an air mattress in the office up there,” Ianto said.

“Ianto, she gave the paging device to a Blowfish and told it to send the message,” Owen pointed out. “I’m not putting money on her using her brains right now.”

Ianto snorted.

“She’ll be fine,” Jack assured Rhys, as Ianto slipped an arm around Jack’s waist. “Why don’t you go and grab a duty room for yourself. And if you don’t mind, show our guests down so they could take a room for themselves?”

“I’ll take them down to get a bunk, but I don’t need sleep yet,” Rhys said. “Besides, I don’t think we want to leave that fish person’s carcass rotting overnight. I need to take care of that.”

“Sorry, Rhys,” Ianto apologised.

Rhys waved it off. “No worries, mate. Gwen should have done that when she had the chance. Hell, if she let me carry a gun, I would have taken target practice on it.” He winked at Ianto.

Jack and Ianto shared a look, knowing Gwen needed to have a talking to, and it wouldn’t be pleasant.

“I need something to eat first,” Jack complained, now that all the excitement was over, he realized he did not have dinner yet. “I’m hungry.”

They looked over at the other Jack and Ianto, who had an arm around each other and getting ready to follow Rhys.

“Anyone else hungry?” Ianto asked.

“We’re fine,” Black-coat Ianto replied. “We had dinner before we got the call to come in.”

“Ianto needs to try to sleep now,” Captain Jack replied, “and I think I could use some too. Damn, this coming back to life is exhausting.”

“Gwen and I had takeaway. There’s some leftover Indian, if you want it,” Rhys replied. “I ordered extra just in case we got hungry later in the night. There should be enough for the four of you.” He looked at Owen and Toshiko, including them.

“We’re fine too,” Toshiko assured them. “Enjoy your dinner,” she said to Jack and Ianto with a smile. She was holding the device that had been on the other Gwen’s belt.

“Have fun with the new toy,” Jack said with a grin.

They said their goodnights to Rhys, Black-coat Ianto and Captain Jack. Toshiko settled down at her workstation with the device, while Owen went back to autopsy to check on his patient. Ianto guided Jack to the couch and made him sit down.

“Stay here. I’ll go warm up the food and we can take it down to our bunk,” Ianto said. After giving Jack a loving kiss, he went to the kitchen to warm up their dinner.

 


	7. Two Worlds, One Crime - Part 7

 

Continued from [Part Six](http://totally4ryo.livejournal.com/184729.html#cutid1)

 

 

 

 

Rhys stayed up with Owen and Toshiko for a few more hours after handling the body of the Blowfish. Rhys and Owen had also taken the other Gwen down to settle her in a cell, Owen making sure she would still be sedated for a few more hours. He wanted both pregnant men to have a chance to sleep before having to deal with the madwoman.

By the time Ianto and Captain Jack entered the main Hub, leaving their partners to get more sleep, the lockdown was over. Rhys had managed to grab a livid Gwen to go with him to get breakfast for everyone. Ianto had the coffee brewed in the reception for anyone wanting it by the time the two pregnant men found their way into the main part of the Hub. Both men tucked into the waiting breakfast. Everyone but Rhys and Gwen found their way down from having coffee to join them. Those in the Hub were discussing how to handle their prisoner before turning her over to the two men so they could take her back to their universe and make sure justice is served. She had broken many laws of theirs, and added two more the night before, especially murder.

As they were almost finished with breakfast, Gwen came storming down into the Hub. She stopped at the table they had put in a few years ago, near the new kitchen, where everyone was gathered.

“You left me there!” she accused.

Jack looked up at her, the last of his bacon roll in his mouth.

“We had no choice, Gwen,” he said, his mouth full.

“Why the lockdown? You could have let me know!” she demanded.

Jack swallowed his food and took a quick drink of his tea. “Gwen, we really didn’t have time. We usually do lockdown upon intruder invasion, and Ianto, thankfully, was close enough to lockdown the Hub almost immediately. We were a little busy down here with a crazy woman wearing your face. I’m sorry we didn’t ask her to wait a moment while we contacted you.”

Gwen glared at Ianto. “You didn’t have to lockdown reception.”

“I did. Protocol. It’s in the updated procedures from three years ago, after we installed the retracting reinforced door and new gates outside the office,” Ianto replied.

“When someone materialises in the Hub, we go into immediate lockdown, including reception,” Jack stated. He looked over at Ianto and Tosh. “And thank goodness, we don’t go into complete darkness. If we lost the lights before back-up generators kicked in the emergency lights, it could have been much worse.”

“But I was stuck all by myself all night up there!” Gwen whined.

“Boo hoo hoo,” Black-coat Ianto commented dryly.

Gwen gaped open-mouthed at the immortal Ianto. “You have some nerve!”

“No ma’am. You have some nerve. I’m sorry you were stuck in the upstairs office, while one of us almost was shot with a ray gun, and another had actually died.” Tears welled in his eyes at the memory of believing he had lost his Jack. “Ianto was shot at, and my Jack pushed him out of the way. And took the hit. I thought we lost him forever.”

Jack glared at Gwen. “We need to have a talk, but not right now. I was going to give you a briefing on events after you stormed out of here in your latest fit. Which, I should add, if you didn’t, you would have been in the Hub with us when we locked down. Be thankful, because it could have been you shot, if you were down here. Since things had happened as they did, I don’t want to hear any more about your inconveniences.”

Gwen got the look like she was about to storm off again in a huff.

“Sit down, Gwen, and listen. Then we’re going to deal with our prisoners in the cells. When this is all over, we’re going to have a talk.” As she started to open her mouth, Jack pointed a finger at her. “I haven’t forgotten that you actually gave the Blowfish the pager device, and we need to deal with it.”

Rhys came up behind her and with a hand on her shoulder, pushed her down into the empty seat. He sat next to her. “Please Gwennie. If we were able to get to you, we would have.” He took her hand. “I would have, but there was no other choice. So just drop it.”

Gwen frowned but listened as she was filled in on the events after she left the Hub. Not long after, Jack had Ianto and Owen go to prepare the other Gwen for interrogation. It would be Captain Jack, Ianto and Owen doing the questioning, while Jack and Black-coat Ianto oversaw everything.

 

In the end, it wasn’t hard to get information from the woman. She was put back in her cell until Black-coat Ianto and Captain Jack were ready to return to their universe.

The team gathered in the boardroom as Ianto lead the brief on what the other Gwen had to say.

“So, as suspected, she’s been doing this for a while,” Ianto said. “She’s been slipping into other universes, finding suppliers for substandard tech. She is quite proud of how she also managed to swindle them out of payment. Of course, she had better goods while setting up a deal. She had been doing this for years.” Ianto sighed. “And killing to complete deals is not beyond her.”

“Rhys had said she had been a bit daft, but at the time he loved her. It was only after she was gone that he had to admit that she had a dark streak that scared him. It was for the best that she left him,” Black-coat Ianto stated.

“Looks like she embraced her dark side,” Captain Jack said.

“She’s yours to do whatever you wish, of course,” Jack said. “We’ll deal with the Blowfish.”

“What about the tech?” Ianto asked. “Do you want to take it with you?”

“No. We have no use for what she was able to get her hands on. We trust you with the tech,” Black-coat Ianto replied.

Captain Jack grinned as he looked over to Toshiko. “Who knows, she might even find a way to upgrade one of them.”

“Keep the pager device too,” Black-coat Ianto said with a smile. “With that in your possession, we’ll be able to stay in touch, since we use them to contact groups travelling to other universes. I think I would like that once in a while.”

Jack grinned widely. “I would too.”

“First communication will be for babies’ births,” Captain Jack said, matching Jack’s smile.

“I guess this means you’ll be leaving soon?” Toshiko asked, looking a little sad. “I’m going to miss you. You are our Jack and Ianto in many ways, but in others, you’re not. I just got used to you being around.”

“We still have a few things to tie up before leaving, so I estimate tomorrow night,” Black-coat Ianto stated. “We’ll miss everyone here too. You have all been most gracious hosts, but we have a family we’re missing, and our own team.”

“I think that Rift permitting, we go out together tonight,” Jack suggested to everyone around the table. “Just some fun before we have to say goodbye to our friends.”

“We did manage to have some fun,” Captain Jack replied, “especially having us over on your off time.” He grinned. “But I’m not going to say no to a night out.”

“Neither will I,” Black-coat Ianto said, also with a smile.

“Right. Ianto, do you think sometime today you could sort out where we’re going?” Jack asked.

“I’m sure I can,” Ianto replied.

“Good.” Jack clapped his hands together and gave out assignments for the day. The first thing Owen did after the meeting was examine their guests, just to make sure everything was okay after the night before.

OoOoOoO

When Jack and Ianto returned from lunch with their counterparts, Jack looked around the Hub, noting that everyone was there. “Gwen!” he called out. “My office now!”

Gwen’s eyes went wide for a moment before she had a defensive look on her face. Ianto gritted his teeth, not envying Jack. He was glad that several years ago, Jack finally stopped caving in all the time. Gwen did not like it at all, being used to having her own way, but that did not change Jack’s mind. Basically he would tell her to deal with it or leave. Gwen would never leave Torchwood willingly, even if Ianto sometimes had to question her motives. Tosh and Owen had once told Ianto that they believed Gwen lived and breathed Torchwood for other reasons than they did.

Ianto started to walk away, intending to check on their prisoners. Not that he didn’t trust Tosh and Owen, but he felt better looking in himself from time to time. Jack stopped him by grabbing his arm. Ianto looked at him in question.

“You’re going to be part of this, too. After all, you’re going to be in charge when I’m not around,” Jack said low. “Which reminds me, after we deal with Gwen, I need you to get the proper paperwork to make this official.” Jack winked at Ianto as Gwen came over to them.

Gwen gave him big, sad eyes. Ianto barely kept himself from rolling his eyes. Jack simply pointed his finger toward his office. “Move. Now!”

With a sigh, Gwen turned and stomped toward the office. Ianto smirked when Black-coat Ianto, who was at Tosh’s station showing her all the ways the paging device could be used, mouthed, “Good luck.”

Ianto followed Jack, who strode behind Gwen.

Once inside the office, Jack sat in his chair behind his desk, with Ianto standing next to him. Gwen stood on the other side of the desk, trying not to fidget from the stares she was receiving by both men.

“Sit down, Gwen,” Jack ordered.

“I’d rather stand, Jack.”

Jack looked up to Ianto, who shrugged his shoulders. “She’ll probably end up standing up anyway,” he stated.

“True,” Jack had to agree. To Gwen, he said, “Suit yourself.” He leaned forward to rest his elbows on the desk surface. “We had a plan, Gwen. Whoever was on duty was to wait until I arrived, and I was going to send the message.”

“I know, Jack, but you weren’t home. You were in Penarth,” Gwen replied.

“Actually we were on our way home,” Jack said. “In fact, we had just exited the A4232. In case you didn’t notice, it didn’t take us long to arrive here. Within minutes, we were picking up Owen. We arrived in how long, Ianto?”

“Seven minutes,” Ianto replied.

“And during interrogations with the Blowfish, how long does it usually take them before they contacted the other Gwen?” Jack asked, his eyes still on Gwen.

“Depending on the meeting date and time, from several hours to a day,” Ianto answered in his business tone.

“Right,” Jack said. He continued to stare at Gwen. “We had this information in our brief. So, even if we were further, what made you think that you needed to contact her before any of us arrived?” As Gwen started to open her mouth, Jack cut her off. “Oh that’s right. You didn’t contact her. You gave the device to one of the Blowfish.”

“I intended to dictate,” Gwen exclaimed, her voice rising. “That’s what he started to do before he attacked me.”

“So you shut the door on the cell, leaving the Blowfish and the pager together. And then you left,” Jack summed up.

“I didn’t want the Blowfish loose in the Hub. Besides, Rhys or I could have been hurt or worse. I wasn’t going to let that happen,” she defended.

“Where was your gun, Gwen?” Ianto asked.

Gwen glanced up and glared at him. She looked like she was about to say something, her mouth opening, but then she looked at Jack and closed it. She took a deep breath and looked back to Ianto. “I left it at my workstation. I didn’t realize it until I went for it.”

“What about Rhys’s gun?”

“He didn’t have it. You know I don’t like Rhys having a gun. I locked it up.” Gwen glared at Jack. “The only time he has it is when you insist he does.”

Jack took a deep breath. “Rhys is a full member of this team. He had gone through training by both Ianto and me. He is qualified to carry his gun at all times on the job, just as the rest of us. I don’t want you to be locking up his gun whenever Ianto and I aren’t around.”

“I don’t like Rhys having a gun!” Gwen screeched. “Hell, I don’t want him on the team. No one bothered to ask me what I thought when Rhys was hired on.”

“That was Rhys’s decision,” Jack said, trying to keep his tone level. He felt his anger rising, and he had to admit to himself that he was crankier than usual. He was relieved when he felt Ianto’s hand on his shoulder and his spouse start to speak.

“Just as Rhys was not consulted when you accepted to join Torchwood,” Ianto commented. He arched his eyebrow in anticipation of Gwen’s reply.

“I couldn’t tell Rhys about it back when I was hired, now could I? Hiring Rhys was different because I know all about Torchwood,” Gwen remarked, clearly annoyed.

“I’ll bet you were not even thinking of Rhys when you accepted my offer,” Jack said. “He had to suck it up, even after he found out. Now it’s time for you to suck it up.”

“You seemed to have no problem letting Rhys help us at times once it was decided that Rhys would be able to retain his memories of Torchwood,” Ianto said, emphasising ‘decided’.

Jack had to smirk. “You wanted him to keep his memories,” he said. “Which led to him helping us at times. I realised that he did have a lot to give to the team, and that’s why I decided to bring him aboard. And it was Rhys’s decision alone. I expect everyone on the team to accept it, you included. And that’s all that’s going to be said on this topic.

“Now about the consequences of your actions. The Blowfish sent his own message, warning your double that we were holding them prisoner. There was a full conversation going on, including the Blowfish telling her about Torchwood. So she decided to take over Torchwood. What did work out to our advantage was she was of the belief that there were only two here. Why is that, Gwen? Because of you arguing with Rhys when he thought you should wait until we got here. You insisted in front of our prisoners that we were going to take quite a while to get here. So she acted fast.” He leaned back in his chair. “Thankfully not fast enough for the rest of the team to arrive. As you know, the result of her attempted takeover almost got two people killed. Did get someone killed. We’re just damned lucky that the all those ah… treatments that the other Ianto had been giving Jack worked. Otherwise, he would have been dead, leaving an immortal to not only lose his partner much sooner than he hoped, but there being an unborn baby that would never know one of his fathers. You endangered the entire team, including your own husband. And if not for the other Jack’s actions, chances are Ianto would have been killed.” He looked up at Ianto. “Am I leaving anything out?”

“The only thing I can think of is that she was safe from the attack because she walked out of here in a fit because she did not agree with you and your reasoning,” Ianto replied.

Gwen glared up at Ianto. “This Second thing really is going to your head,” she snapped.

“THAT’S ENOUGH!” Jack roared as he jumped up from his seat. He leaned over to place his palms down on the desk, looking down at Gwen menacingly. “I am tired of my decisions being undermined by you. Normally, I let you off with nothing more than a warning. That’s going to change now. As of this moment, you’re on two weeks’ suspension without pay. We’ll talk again when you’re back. Now get out of here before I fire you!”

Gwen jumped up, opening her mouth about to argue Jack.

Ianto held up his hand. “Did you just not hear the last thing Jack said? If you don’t want to be fired, then just leave now.”

Gwen sent them both a look that could kill before storming out of the office, slamming the door behind her.

Ianto moved around the desk and dropped down into the chair before the desk, leaning back. “Well, that went as well as expected.”

Jack snorted as he sat down too. They remained quiet for a few moments, listening to Gwen rant to the others about how unfair it was. A quick glance out the window assured the two that it fell on deaf ears. “I sure hope Rhys had gone out on errands when he had his chance,” Jack replied.

“At least he was forewarned,” Ianto replied. “I’m just worried about their marriage when Gwen finds out that Rhys is also supportive of the suspension.”

“I suppose I should make that reservation for one less then?” Ianto asked.

“I doubt she’d want to join us, and to be honest, I really don’t want to see her tonight anyway,” Jack groused.

Ianto nodded. “I think I hear her leaving.”

They sat in companionable silence for a few more minutes, making sure Gwen was gone. Ianto stood up and straightened his suit jacket. “Well, I believe I have some paperwork to attend to. Including Gwen’s pay deduction.”

Jack groaned. “That means I need to do the paperwork on the suspension.” He smiled up at Ianto. “My part of the paperwork concerning your promotion is done already. I just need your signature.”

OoOoOoO

 

When they were finished for the day, the group left for the short walk to Stuart Street. Ianto managed to get a reservation for Woods Brasserie, which was next to Techniquest in a quaint stone building.

They had a good time during dinner; some of the laughter was because of some of the diners were amazed at the two sets of twins who were together. It happened once in a rare time, but it was the first time many of the diners saw that both sets of twins were male. The two visitors once again were dressed in borrowed clothing, blending in with the locals. That evening, instead of wearing their own trousers with borrowed shirts most of their time there, both men were in jeans. Captain Jack wore one of Jack’s polo shirts and Black-coat Ianto was wearing one of Ianto’s more casual shirts. They still had their usual coats, which created a lot of attention while they walked, having two sets of handsome identical twins strolling along with their long coats billowing behind them.

They were waiting for their dessert and coffee when talk turned to Jack and Ianto’s house. Toshiko was especially interested in hearing their plans from their team, and the other Jack and Ianto, who seemed pleased on the Victorian style of the home. It made sense to Ianto, knowing Jack. Having a flat, it seemed natural that Jack would have been happy with a modernised flat several storeys up, but getting a house, Victorian seemed more like Jack. Ianto did not mind. If they were going to make a home to expand their family and raise them in, he did prefer something more traditional, as long as it was equipped with modern conveniences. Jack had agreed with him.

There were lots of laughs through the dinner. Their two guests were going to be missed, but they had they had their own world to go back to, with a family waiting.

After they left the restaurant, Owen, Toshiko and Rhys said goodnight. Like Jack and Ianto, Tosh and Owen were paying a trusted neighbour to babysit that night. Rhys somehow had managed to still go out with them, leaving Gwen at home with the kids.

“I feel sorry for him,” Captain Jack said, indicating Rhys once the group was out of hearing distance. “He has to go home to Gwen.”

Ianto shivered. “She’s going to be in a mood already, but then Rhys decided he still wanted to go out with us.”

Jack nodded. “I don’t envy him tonight, but I’m glad for him.” As everyone stared at him, he explained, “He stood up for himself and not let Gwen bully him. He wanted to go out with us as a member of the team, and he didn’t let his wife screwing up on the job to stop him.”

Slipping an arm around Jack’s waist, Ianto nodded in agreement. “You have a point there. I still have issues with her bossing him around and locking up his gun when we’re not around.”

“When she comes back, we’re going to have to make sure she understands some things,” Jack said.

Ianto looked at the other two. “As much as I would love to think of something else to do, with this being your last night here, Jack needs his rest.” He studied Black-coat Ianto. “You look like you could do with an early night too.”

“As much as I hate to admit it,” Black-coat Ianto agreed, leaning into Captain Jack’s embrace, “but you have a point.

“I’m not too tired that we can’t drive you back to the hotel,” Jack offered.

“We’ll take you up on it,” Captain Jack said with a smile. “Thank you.”

They started to walk to the carpark where Ianto had parked their SUV that morning.

OoOoOoO

“Stop fretting,” Ianto said to his counterpart, looking amused.

It was the next morning, and both men arrived wearing borrowed clothes, but changed into their own clothes soon after. They had arrived in the Hub with their luggage, leaving the borrowed clothes back at the hotel at Ianto’s insistence. Both men were in the clothes they had first arrived in.

Owen was walking behind Black-coat Ianto, studying his waist. Ianto raised an eyebrow. “Really Owen, I didn’t know you had a fascination with my arse.”

“It’s not your arse,” Owen replied distractedly.

“I heard on very good authority that we have identical arses,” Ianto replied smoothly. “In fact, from two very good authorities. And I’ll have to say that the same goes for the two Jacks.” He gave a devilish smile.

“You lot would notice something like that,” Owen snorted. “I’m not looking at his arse, however. Ah, there we go.” He reached for the waistband of the back of Black-coat Ianto’s trousers and latched onto something. He started to laugh. “Oh, yes! Ianto Jones wears braces!”

Black-coat Ianto stopped walking and turned to stare at Owen, who was still laughing with amusement.

“You mean Commodore Ianto Jones does,” Ianto said. He glanced over at Jack who was walking by and the two traded looks. It was between them that sometimes when they were alone without the kids, Ianto would wear the leather braces he returned from the other world with for a while until they were used for more interesting uses.

“So he’s a Commodore and you’re just a Tea Boy,” Owen said, trying not to laugh.

“Owen, stop busting their balls!” Toshiko yelled from her workstation.

Jack started to laugh. “You know I can give ranks to anyone in a position of leadership.” He looked over at Ianto. “Unfortunately it can’t be above Captain.”

Ianto’s eyebrow arched. “That’s not how it works at home. If I remember correctly, it was a General that got you in your present condition.”

“Oh for fuck’s sake!” Owen yelled, covering his ears. “I do not need to hear that!”

“Yeah Ianto,” Toshiko said, getting up to join them. “There are children present.” She pointed to Owen.

Jack started to laugh.

Owen turned to glare at his wife, who winked at him.

Jack clapped his hands. “Well, it looks like our guests are ready to leave, but there’re still things we need to get done first. And I’m sending Rhys to clean out the hotel room. Owen, I want our prisoner Gwen to be ready for travel.”

“She’ll be heavily sedated, no problem,” Owen assured Jack.

“Good. We’re going to release the living Blowfish. I think they had some time to think about things, and if we encounter them again up to something illegal, we’ll shoot first with no questions,” Jack remarked.

“We’ll tag them before we let them go?” Ianto asked.

“Definitely,” Jack agreed. He looked over at Black-coat Ianto and Captain Jack. “If you gentlemen don’t mind, I would like you to review the reports. Once we agree it’s ready to sign off, I’ll give you a copy to take with you.”

“That would be most helpful,” Black-coat Ianto said.

“Well, since we already did the reports, it would be a shame to have to do them all over again once we get home,” Captain Jack stated.

Ianto rolled his eyes. “Anything to get out of paperwork,” he said to Black-coat Ianto, who laughed.

OoOoOoO

They stood by the base of the water tower in the Hub. Black-coat Ianto and Captain Jack were in their coats, luggage at their feet. The Gwen from their world was bound up with alien tech used for transporting prisoners, and was heavily sedated on the ground near the luggage.

Toshiko smiled as she approached them, throwing her arms first around Black-coat Ianto. “I’m going to miss you. I know it’s silly because we have our own Ianto with his big bad leather coat, but I am.”

Black-coat Ianto hugged her tightly. “I understand. It was a pleasure working with you. And I’m still highly amused that your Jack and Ianto said nothing about Aubrey in our world.”

Toshiko and Owen both laughed. “You should have seen their faces when we said we were going to name him Aubrey,” Owen said. “One of the rare moments Jack was speechless.”

Jack shrugged. “Well, we knew we were cheating with naming our children, and even knowing their sex ahead of time, but we weren’t sure how much we should share about that.”

Black-coat Ianto kissed Toshiko’s cheek, hugging her again. Owen was shaking Captain Jack’s hand. When they pulled apart, Tosh went over to Captain Jack to hug him. “I’m so glad you didn’t stay dead. Goodbye, Jack. And don’t be a stranger.”

“We do have means of communication now,” Captain Jack said, hugging Toshiko. “Oh, it’s been wonderful working with you. You are as charming and brilliant as our Tosh. And about what Jack said about knowing too much, I guess it won’t hurt telling you that our Tosh is pregnant again.” He grinned at Tosh’s gasp. “We don’t know what she’s having yet, so it should be interesting to compare names at some point in the future.”

Tosh blushed, while Owen looked shocked. “Well I’ll be damned,” said Owen.

“Owen’s spawning again,” Ianto quipped.

“Which is not so much a worry as how you and Jack seem to multiply like bunnies,” Owen said. His eyes went to Black-coat Ianto, and he smirked. Looking back to Ianto, he added, “It’s scary to think that you two have two more babies after this one, if you want to catch up. Would we survive all those pregnancies by Jack.”

Black-coat Ianto raised an eyebrow, while Captain Jack laughed.

“What?” Owen asked.

Jack moved closer to Ianto. “I don’t like that,” Jack warned him.

“Ianto would probably like it less,” Captain Jack said.

“What’s that?” Ianto asked.

“That baby Jack’s carrying. We’re pretty sure that it’s not Samantha,” Black-coat Ianto said. “It’s most likely not a she, but a he.”

“What?” Jack asked. “Samantha was your third child. This is ours.”

“This is the third child you’re carrying, Jack,” Black-coat Ianto stated. “Which was Jesse.” He grinned at Ianto. “Contact us to plan a visit when you’re ready to have Samantha. We’ll take you were I go to get pregnant.” He winked at both men.

Jack stood with his mouth open, staring in shock.

“You’re shitting me,” Ianto said.

“No, not at all.” Black-coat Ianto grinned. “It’s up to you to have Samantha. And,” he placed his hand on his own abdomen, “this one.”

Captain Jack laughed. “At least we know it’s only goodbye for now. We’ll see you in a couple of years when it’s time to bring Samantha into the world.”

Owen started to laugh. “Oh for fuck’s sake, that’s funny!” He pointed at Ianto. “You’ll have to get pregnant twice.”

“If we want Samantha,” Ianto blurted out, clearly shocked by the revelation.

Jack hugged Ianto. “I think we do. We were looking forward to Samantha joining us. I don’t want to give up on that dream. We have at least two years before I have to start talking you into it.” He leaned in close and taking Ianto’s hand to place on his small bulge. “I did this for you three times, after all.”

Ianto smiled softly at Jack. “We’ll talk later. Right now, I we should concentrate on…. Jesse’s birth, along with getting settled in our new house.”

Jack smiled as he lightly kissed Ianto. “I guess that means we need to plan the nursery for a boy.”

Highly amused with the revelation, Rhys stepped up to shake hands with the two visitors. “It’s been interesting, mate,” he said to Black-coat Ianto. He glanced down at the sedated Gwen and shuddered a little. “Very interesting. Good luck with that one.”

“Yeah, especially since she does seem to be just as much hell to deal with as your wife,” Owen quipped.

“I would say only more dangerous, but we all know why Gwennie isn’t with us today,” Rhys said with a sigh.

“Unlike this one here, your Gwen is not vindictive,” Black-coat Ianto said. “She just doesn’t think through her actions, and tends to be a tad bit selfish at times, but she could never be as vicious as this bitch.”

Rhys nodded. “True. And I do love her, mad woman that she is. I don’t think I could feel the same of this one.”

Everyone nodded. Their Gwen had her faults, but she’s not anywhere near as bad as the prisoner Gwen.

Jack and Ianto stared at their counterparts. Jack stepped forward. “We are going to miss you. It was great to be able to return the favour and help you out. But it’s not goodbye because I am going to convince Ianto in a couple of years that we need Samantha in our family.” He hugged first Black-coat Ianto, and then Captain Jack. “And we’ll keep in touch with developments here.”

“We want pictures of the new house as it’s coming along,” Black-coat Ianto said with a smile. “And we are looking forward to having you as our guests again. And we’ll even get to do some travel. Thank you for showing us your world.”

“It was our pleasure, even if we had a scary moment,” Jack said, as the Black-coat Ianto slipped an arm around Captain Jack, holding him, reassured that his husband was still with him, and most likely have him for a very long time. “Thank goodness your plan with Jack worked,” he said to Black-coat Ianto. He glanced back to Ianto. “It gives me hope.”

He stepped aside for Ianto to hug the two men. “Thanks for keeping that one bit until now,” he said, raising his eyebrow as he hugged his double, “but I will consider it. Jack’s right, and after this pregnancy, I guess it’s going to be my turn, especially knowing it’s now possible. Once again, you have opened my eyes to more than I thought I already saw. And working for Torchwood, that’s quite a lot.” He grinned. “I’ll see you again. Take care of that baby.”

“We’ll trade pictures when the babies are born, yeah?” Black-coat Ianto asked.

“Definitely.” Ianto turned to Captain Jack. “Bye Jack. Don’t go testing your new supposed immortality too soon again. At least wait until after the baby is born.”

Captain Jack hugged Ianto back. “Trust me, I intend to be with Ianto for the rest of his life, if he doesn’t get tired of me.”

Black-coat Ianto leaned into Captain Jack and softly said. “Never. I want you with me forever, Jack.”

“I’ll like that too.”

Once everyone was done with goodbyes, Tosh sat at her workstation, typing away so their departure did not cause alarms to go off. When she was done, she joined everyone else, but the two departing men, in Jack’s office.

With a final wave, Black-coat Ianto keyed the final sequence on their slipping device and with a flash, they were gone.

Jack looked at his team. “Tosh, forward any Rift alerts to our laptops and my wristband. If the Rift stays quiet, I don’t want to see anyone here until after noon tomorrow. And then we’ll deal with our remaining Blowfish.”

Toshiko went to type the commands, while the others went about powering down the Hub. It was not long after that the team said goodnight and were on their way home.

 


	8. Two Worlds, One Crime - Epilogue

 

Continued from [Part Seven](http://totally4ryo.livejournal.com/184853.html#cutid1)

 

 

 

 

 

**EPILOGUE  
Two Years Later**

 

 

As Jack turned the SUV off Beach Road onto Beachman Rd, he glanced in the mirror at the two men who sat in back. “We’re about there now,” he said, grinning. He reached the gate to the park that was between Windsor Court and the back of their house. When they first saw the house, they did not realise the park was there. It only added to the charm of the house.

“Is that it?” Black-coat Ianto asked, pointing to the stately towers of the Victorian home showing through the trees behind a high stone wall.

“That it is,” Jack replied as he drove further along the road, passing first an iron wrought gate for pedestrians until he came to the gate for the driveway. He had already pressed the button on the device on the dashboard, so the two large gates that matched the first one in design were already opening to allow him to drive through. “This is it. 8 Bridgeman Rd,” he stated.

“This is lovely, Jack,” Captain Jack said as Jack drove along the side of the house. He went past another tower and a concrete and stone patio around the back tower, complete with a stone barbeque, and then went around the bend to drive along the back until he pulled up on a carport outside the garage. As he stopped the SUV, he said, “I’m afraid we’re going to use the back entrance.” He got out of the car and watched as the other men also got out, both looking up at the house.

“I’ll bet you have a lovely view of the bay from that tower,” Black-coat Ianto said as they walked around the vehicle to get their bags out of the boot.

“That we do. It’s a sitting room that we had used for a nursery until Jesse was ready to go into his own room. We had put the furniture away, but we’ll be taking it out again for Samantha.” Jack smiled as he pointed to the land behind them and the view of the Esplanade and bay. “Because of the location, we have bay views from both towers and our garden.” He indicated the expanse of land. He pointed to a walkway at the edge of their property that led toward a wood gate. “Go out that gate and you’re in the park.” He laughed. “Even with all this property, the kids still like to go to the park.”

Captain Jack and Black-coat Ianto stood side by side as they gazed out at the view. “This is very lovely, Jack,” Black-coat Ianto said, turning to look at Jack. “You and Ianto did an amazing job with this house.”

“It makes me wish we thought of moving near the water,” Captain Jack said.

“Well, to be honest, we can use more room,” Black-coat Ianto said as he hefted a shoulder bag and started toward the door Jack indicated. “I was meaning to bring it up.”

Captain Jack grinned as he took a couple of bags in hand. “So was I. We’re getting a bit cramped with 5 children.”

Jack shook his head as he took a bag from Captain Jack. “Are you sure you’re only staying here for a couple of days?” he asked.

“Well, we brought more coffee for your supply, and we’ll make sure you come back with more,” Black-coat Ianto said. “Besides, we’ll be with you and Ianto for the first couple of days to make sure you’re all settled in.”

“I take it you have the kids prepared since you’re taking them,” Captain Jack said as they walked across the garage and went through a door.

“Yes, they are. Don’t mind our utility room,” Jack said as they went through the small room.

“Looks like Ianto has it well under control,” Captain Jack said. “I notice the style. This one has it too,” he said of his husband.

Jack laughed. “Yes. Ianto treats all storage rooms as if they were the Archives in the Hub,” he said as they entered the office.

“Because otherwise we’d never find anything,” Ianto stated as he leaned against the doorframe leading to the family room. He grinned at their guests. “Gentlemen, welcome!” he exclaimed.

The two visitors put down their luggage so they could hug Ianto.

“So are you ready for this?” Captain Jack asked with a dazzling smile.

“I’m not sure, to be honest, but if Jack went through it three times and we really want Samantha, then I have to do what I have to,” Ianto replied.

“We brought you coffee to put into your storage. Whole beans in an airtight bag. You’ll be able to keep for a while.”

“Like the last batch,” Ianto said. “We appreciate it.” He indicated a third door in the office. “You can leave your bags here for now, until you’re ready to settle in your room. The children are in the living room, waiting to see you.” He smiled at their guests. “Well come along then. I also have coffee and sandwiches,” Ianto said.

“If you left the sandwiches with the rugrats, then we might not be any left by now,” Jack quipped, causing the other men to laugh.

Jack and Ianto took their counterparts through the winding way to the living room, which one of the towers was part of. Three children were standing around, their faces brightening up when the men entered the room.

Jesse looked up at the men, staring with his mouth hanging open.

“Close that, little man, before the bugs fly in,” Jack said with a chuckle.

“There are no bugs here,” Franklin stated. “Taddy won’t allow ‘em.”

The adults started to laugh while Ianto attempted to look affronted. Jack shook his head. “Frankie’s got your number, Ianto.”

“Careful, Jack. Remember, we have no idea how pregnancy might affect my moods,” Ianto replied as he went over to the children.

Jesse was still staring in shock at the two counterparts in their unusual style of dress and then to his fathers. “They look just like Taddy and Daddy, except they have funny clothes.”

“The coats look alike,” Frankie said. “Especially Taddy’s.”

“These are our uncles,” Meghan explained to Franklin. “They’re twins.””

Jesse went over to stand before Black-coat Ianto, his head back to look at the man’s face, his dark blue eyes wide. “Are you our Unca Taddy?”

Ianto chuckled, while Jack snorted. The other two men were laughing.  
“They’re not our twins as in brothers,” Ianto said, glancing at Meghan who still insisted that they were. “We explained it all. However, like Uncle Owen and Uncle Rhys, they are also your uncles.”

“Are we still going away tomorrow, Tad?” Meghan asked.

“Yes, we are, but while it will be a long time for us, it will be like we never left to those we know here,” Ianto replied.

The adults sat around, fielding more questions from the children, before Jack and Ianto sent them off to play in the garden. They then got their guests settled in the guestroom upstairs.

Not long after, Ianto was preparing the steaks for grilling, while Jack went outside to fire up the barbeque. Black-coat Ianto and Captain Jack came there to spend a couple of days with them, so the children would get used to them. Jack and Ianto did not want too much to shock the children. Meghan remembered the counterparts, but Franklin was too young to remember much, and this was Jesse’s first time meeting them. It was going to be enough that they were going on an extended vacation; an adventure to another universe, in the future on another planet several galaxies away. As much as the children were excited, they were a little unsettled about being away from their friends and extended family for over ten months. They were going so Ianto could have an operation to get pregnant. It was highly suggested that Ianto stay there for the first pregnancy, so the doctors could be certain all was going well. Their counterparts from the other universe had already scouted ahead and got a furnished penthouse for them, in a towering apartment block not far from the clinic.

Jack and Ianto realized that while they would be back before anyone had noticed they were missing, they could not go that long away from their children. Once they had contacted their counterparts to make the initial plans, they had started to prepare the children.

They were going to have a party the next day for everyone they knew that they would not see for almost a year. Shortly after clean-up, they were going to leave, stopping first in the steampunk world, where they would sign the proper documents to use the device that would take them to the other world. Black-coat Ianto and Captain Jack had offered to go along, and help get them settled in their home for the time. They would accompany Jack and Ianto to meet with the same doctor who had done the procedure on Black-coat Ianto.

They were also going to meet with another doctor who had done DNA tests on Captain Jack, confirming that he was now immortal. Since then, Captain Jack had proven his immortality twice. Jack wanted the same test performed on Ianto, since lately his injuries were healing as quickly as Jack’s. He had been gashed in the arm the other month by a Weevil, and by the time they had arrived at the Hub, there was no evidence of it.

Black-coat Ianto had offered to make the salads, while Captain Jack went out with the marinated steaks, so the steaks could start cooking. Ianto had taken out the potato salad he made earlier with Meghan’s help. After they ate, they would have to start preparing all over again, but for a larger gathering the next day.

Black-coat Ianto sat down on the stool at the breakfast bar on the island in the middle of the kitchen. The kitchen was dark wood and cooper, a nod to the steampunk style of the other world. It was cosy and comfortable, with room for the entire family to participate in making a meal, even with the island in the middle.

Black-coat Ianto was just in his shirt, braces and trousers. He accepted a cold drink from Ianto with a smile. “So,” he started, “I guess we really have it all, don’t we?”

“It’s getting closer if I’m able to get pregnant and give birth to Samantha,” Ianto agreed. “And I really don’t want to scare Jack by dying to prove anything.”

“Even if you’re not yet, it sounds like you’re well on your way. I should have seen those signs in Jack, but when the man you love is on the ground dead, you tend not to think of those things. This doctor will be able to tell that if you Jack keeps up what he’s doing, you’ll have forever with him too.”

“I hope so,” Ianto said. He held his own glass out. “To immortality.”

“To immortality,” Black-coat Ianto repeated as they clinked glasses. “And to Samantha finally coming to your family.”

The two men finished their drinks and then picked up the dishes, and went outside, where they found the three children trying to help the two Jacks grill the steaks.

Ianto knew he already had it all, but it was far from over. There was so much more to look forward to.

-END-

 

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A/N #2: If this seems a bit open-ended, then you may be right. I have ideas for a follow up to this story, but I’m not sure when I’ll get around to it. It is on my list of things I want to write.

Thank you again, [](http://chinacofficaru.livejournal.com/profile)[**chinacofficaru**](http://chinacofficaru.livejournal.com/) for the artwork. I was floored when I first saw what you did, and I want to see more artwork from you! You definitely have a talent!  
To everyone who made it this far in reading, don't forget to stop by to see more wonderful and gorgeous artwork [HERE](http://chinacofficaru.livejournal.com/844.html#cutid1). Let her know if you like what you see. :)


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